Talabani: Rashid's election is a "victory" for the Kurdish people

Shafaq News / The head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bafel Talabani, described the election of Abdullatif Rashid as the new President as a "victory" for the Kurdish people and Iraq.

Talabani said in a statement in which he addressed the Kurdish people on Thursday, "your party, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, has finally won in the Iraqi political process."

"Gaining the confidence of the Iraqi Parliament and electing the politician and fighter Abdullatif Rashid as a President of the Federal Republic of Iraq is a victory for the will of the people, the political process, and the Patriotic Union."

He added, "we would like to clarify for everyone that the Patriotic Union will, as usual, will protect the rights of all communities in the country [...] We will continue our endeavors to achieve harmony and unity between all parties."

Talabani said that this election is a "Victory for the Kurdish people and Iraq", indicating, "we have only one mission, which is protecting the Kurds' unity."

Iraq’s parliament elected Abdullatif Rashid as the country’s new president.

Following his election, Rashid gave the largest bloc's candidate for the premiership, Mohammed Shiya'a al-Sudani a nod to proceed with assembling a new cabinet.