Iraq MPs elect Fouad Massoum as president Published duration 24 July 2014

image copyright AFP

Iraqi MPs have elected Kurdish politician Fouad Massoum as president, succeeding Jalal Talabani.

Mr Massoum, 76, is a founding member of Mr Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party.

Since 2003 Iraq's president has always been a Kurd, while the prime minister is a Shia and the parliamentary speaker drawn from the Sunni Arab bloc.

Iraq is facing a radical Sunni insurgency and is struggling to agree on a new coalition government.

The presidency is the second major government post to be filled, after Salim al-Jabouri was elected as parliament speaker last week.