HAVANA - Miguel Diaz-Canel was elected on Thursday as Cuba's new president, as the successor of Raul Castro, who concluded two consecutive five-year terms in office.

Diaz-Canel, former first vice-president and an electronics engineer who will turn 58 this Friday, was nominated by the National Candidature Commission on Wednesday after he was proposed by the 604 National Assembly lawmakers to head the country.

After handing over the presidency to his successor, Castro, 86, remains as a lawmaker in the parliament and as the first secretary of the Central Committee of the ruling Communist Party of Cuba, Which is considered as the leading force of the Cuban society.