In absence of predecessor, Iraq’s new president takes office

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – President Latif Rasheed officially assumed his duties in Baghdad on Monday in the absence of his predecessor Barham Salih.

In a formal ceremony held in Peace Palace in Baghdad’s Jadiriyah neighborhood, the 78-year-old president was inaugurated as the 10th president of the country.

The national anthem was played as President Rasheed inspected the Guards of Honor. First Lady Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed took part in the presidential inauguration as well.

Rasheed was sworn in as a new President of the Republic on Thursday, breaking the over one-year political deadlock. However, he had 15 days to ask someone for the premiership, Rasheed quickly named Mohammad Shia’ Al-Sudani for the position.

A veteran member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Rasheed ran for the largely ceremonial position as an independent candidate, who also secured the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)’s last-minute support for his candidacy. The KDP is the largest Kurdish party in the country by the number of seats both in Iraqi and Kurdish parliaments.

Rasheed defeated Barham Salih in the presidential race by obtaining 162 votes in the second round of voting. Salih only gained 99 votes in both rounds. 

Iraq's eighth president, Fuad Masum, took part in the ceremony. 

Serving as the country’s Minister of Water Resources for seven years, Rasheed became a senior presidential advisor to the late President Jalal Talabani in 2010.

A graduate of civil engineering at Liverpool University, he obtained his MSc and Ph.D. in hydraulics.

The president later delivered a speech at the palace, briefly highlighting his presidential agenda, including resolving the outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.