Iraq parliament elects Kurdish politician Fouad Masoum as president

Iraq's parliament elected senior Kurdish politician Fouad Masoum as president of the country on Thursday, the second step in the process of forming a government.

Iraq's politicians have been in deadlock over forming a new government since an election in April. The next step, choosing a prime minister, may prove far more difficult.

Shi'ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has ruled since the election in a caretaker capacity, defying demands from the Sunnis and Kurds that he step aside for a less divisive figure.