Baghdad Today quoted Omar Barzanji saying in a statement that he was running to “build Iraq together on the basis of the constitution and the protection of Iraq’s unity, sovereignty, pluralism and democracy”.

Barzanji was born in 1960 in Kirkuk. He was appointed ambassador to the Vatican in 2017, and had served as undersecretary of the foreign ministry, an ambassador to Romania and Lebanon.

Baghdad Today quoted a source in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) saying that the party unanimously voted for Barzanji’s nomination, replacing incumbent president Fuad Masum, a fellow party member.

Iraq appoints its president after approval from two thirds of the parliament.

Results of the elections for the next parliament are yet to be announced. Polls were held last Saturday but the parliament is set to hold an emergency session next Saturday to discuss objections to preliminary results.

Reporter’s code: 50101