BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Iraqi parliament reconvened on Sunday and elected Bashir Haddad of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) as the second deputy to the speaker on Sunday.


Haddad, a former MP in the Kurdistan Region Parliament, beat out Ahmad Rashid from the Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal).



He earned 185 votes. Of the 282 votes cast. Rashid received 53 votes.



The Kurdistani opposition parties have voiced support for Rashid, while the two largest, KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) are said to be backing Haddad.

On Saturday, former Anbar Governor Mohammed al-Halbousi was chosen as the speaker of parliament after obtaining 169 votes in the 329-seat chamber.

Born in 1981, Halbousi is a Sunni Arab, to which the post of speaker has traditionally belonged.

Hassan Karim al-Kaabi was elected as first deputy. The Shiite Arab politician secured 210 votes.

With parliamentary leadership election posts completed, there is a 15-day deadline to select Iraq's next president.