Nechirvan Barzani wins 68 votes, becomes prez of Kurd region in Iraq

Regional lawmakers elected Nechirvan Barzani as president of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a spokesman for the regional parliament told Reuters on Tuesday.

Barzani, who had been serving as regional prime minister, won 68 votes from the 84 lawmakers present. The regional legislature has 111 seats in total.

He is the nephew of the previous and only other holder of the office, Masoud Barzani.