Iraq’s parliament to convene on Tuesday to elect new president

Iraq's parliament will convene on Tuesday to elect a new president for the country, Speaker Haibet Al-Halbousi said Sunday.

"This coming Tuesday will be a session to elect a president of the republic," Halbousi said in statements carried by the state news agency INA.

The assembly has already unveiled a list of 19 candidates for the post, including incumbent President Abdul Latif Rashid and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein.

Iraq held parliamentary elections on Nov. 11, the sixth vote since the 2003 US invasion.

Members of parliament are responsible for electing the president and granting confidence to the government.

Traditionally, Iraq's power-sharing system among dominant political forces allocates the post of prime minister to a Shiite, the presidency to a Kurd, and the speakership of parliament to a Sunni.

According to Iraq's constitution, parliament is obligated to elect a president of the country within one month since the first session, which was held on Dec. 29.