KDP's Shakawan Abdulla voted Iraqi parliament’s second deputy speaker

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi parliament elected Shakhawan Abdulla, a Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) lawmaker, as the body's second deputy speaker.

Shakawan Abdulla secured 180 votes out of 226, defeating his New Generation rival Sirwa Abdulla, who only earned 33 votes.

Abdulla is a representative from the disputed Kirkuk province, where he was the most popular candidate with 31,000 votes.

Muthana Ameen from the Islamic Union of Kurdistan withdrew from running for the position at the last minute.

The vote came after the house elected Mohamed al-Halbousi and Hakim al-Zamili as the parliamentary speaker and first deputy speaker, respectively.