BAGHDAD - Iraqi lawmakers elected Mahmoud al-Mashhadani as the new parliament speaker on Thursday after the position had been vacant for nearly a year due to political differences.

Al-Mashhadani was elected as the new speaker in a parliament session after two rounds of direct ballot, the parliament said in a statement.

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Al-Mashhadani won 182 votes, compared to 42 votes for his competitor, Salem al-Issawi, in the second round of voting, according to the statement.

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76-year-old al-Mashhadani previously served as Iraqi Speaker of the Council of Representatives from 2006 to 2008.

On Nov 14, 2023, the Iraqi federal court ruled to terminate the tenure of Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi due to legal violations.