Nechirvan Barzani elected head of Iraq's Kurdish region

By Aref Youssef

ERBIL (AA) – The regional parliament of northern Iraq's Kurdish region on Tuesday elected Nechirvan Barzani as president of the region.

Barzani was elected to the post by 68 votes, out of 81 lawmakers, who attended the voting session, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter.

Tuesday's session was boycotted by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which holds 21 seats in the 111-member parliament, and the New Generation Movement (12 seats).

Barzani's Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) emerged as the largest bloc in parliament following the Sept. 30 election with 45 seats.