UPDATE - Iraqi parliament starts 2nd round of voting to elect new president

Candidates fail to obtain two-thirds of votes of House of Representatives in 1st round

UPDATES WITH 2ND VOTING SESSION; CHANGES TITLE, DECK, LEDE

BAGHDAD (AA) – The Iraqi parliament on Thursday began a second round of voting to choose the country's new president.

The second round started after the candidates failed to obtain two-thirds of the votes of the deputies in the first round.

A deputy from the Sovereignty Alliance said "during the first round, the votes were limited to Barham Salih, current president, and candidate Abdul Latif Rashid."

Rashid led the results of the first voting session with 157 votes, while Salih gained 99 votes.

Earlier on Thursday, Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi called to order parliament’s sixth session on electing the president.

After the session, the media department announced the submission to the speakership of a request to withdraw the presidential nominations of Reber Ahmed and Omar Al-Barzanji.

Iraqi political parties have failed to agree on electing a new president and prime minister since general elections held a year ago this week.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report.

Kaynak: