Mr Hamid Karzai, the US-backed leader of the interim Afghan administration, was overwhelmingly elected head of state today by an extraordinary grand council, or Loya Jirga.
Mr Ismail Qasim Yar, head of the Loya Jirga commission, announced that Karzai won 1,295 votes. Mr Masooda Jalal, who worked for the United Nations food program and the only female candidate, received 171 votes and Mr Mir Mohammed Mahfoz Nadai received 89.
"We announce him as the president of the coming interim government," Mr Qasim Yar said.
Mr Karzai received a thunderous applause when the announcement was made placing him at the top of the Afghan administration for the next 18 months
A number of influential Pashtun warlords stepped forward to endorse Mr Karzai, some of whom had threatened to boycott the assembly after former King Mohammad Zahir Shah announced he would not seek political office.
Mr Karzai had already won the backing of the former king and the Northern Alliance, which comprises Tajiks and other ethnic groups. The new government will run the country for 18 months before general elections are held.