KDP lawmaker Atrushi elected Iraqi parliament’s second deputy speaker

BAGHDAD — Farhad Atrushi, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, was elected second deputy speaker of Iraq’s Council of Representatives on Tuesday, defeating Rebwar Karim of the opposition National Stance Movement in a third round of voting, according to results announced in the chamber.

Atrushi won 178 votes to Karim’s 104, after parliament resumed its first session to complete the selection of the parliamentary presidium.

The vote followed two earlier rounds that failed to produce a winner. The KDP replaced its initial nominee, Shakhawan Abdullah, with Atrushi ahead of the third ballot.

The post is traditionally allocated to a Kurdish lawmaker under Iraq’s informal power-sharing convention. The contest had drawn attention after Karim outpolled Abdullah in the first two rounds but fell short of the majority required to win.

In the first round, Karim received 153 votes and Abdullah won 119. In the second round, Karim’s total rose to 156 while Abdullah’s dropped to 102, leaving both below the threshold needed for election. Karim told lawmakers he would not withdraw and would continue his bid.

Parliament on Monday elected Haibat al-Halbousi as speaker, with Adnan Fayhan elected first deputy speaker.