Parliament Elects Sheikh Mohamud as New President of Somalia

The Somali Parliament elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the new head of state on Sunday after an extensive day of debate and voting, as well as security operations outside the legislative compound.

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Sheikh Mohamud who already led the country in the period 2012-2017, defeated this time the current president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed in a runoff after three rounds of voting on a day that had been postponed a year ago.

The new Somali head of state had more than 165 votes in favor, surpassing the threshold of the required number of votes. After confirming his victory Mohamud was sworn in before the Parliament; it should be noted that the day was broadcast on national television.

Sheikh Mohamud, 66 years old, is one of the leaders of the Union for Peace and Development coalition, a political organization that has a majority in the Legislative (both in the Senate and the House of Representatives).

"Hassan Sheik Mohamud is the winner of the elections for president of the Somali federal republic", announced the president of the Somali House of Representatives, Adan Mohamed Nur.

The president was expected to be elected by the Somali people under universal suffrage, but this plan was eventually abandoned by the country's political elite.

 The United Nations-backed vote was delayed for more than a year due to disputes in the government, but is due to take place this month to secure a $400 million International Monetary Fund program.

The election takes place during the Horn of Africa nation's worst drought in four decades, and against a backdrop of violence due to attacks by Al Shabaab rebels, infighting among security forces and clan rivalries.