<div id="subtitle">Malawi's president is elected leader of the African Union, replacing Libya's Gadhafi</div><div><p>Malawi's president has been elected as leader of the African Union, a position held by the eccentric dictator Moammar Gadhafi of Libya for the last year.</p><p>Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika was selected by the continental body at its annual summit Sunday. The chairmanship of the African Union is a rotating position held by heads of state for one year and gives the holder some influence over the continent's politics but carries no real power.</p><p>The AU's chairmanship rotates among Africa's regions, with North Africa chairing for the past year.</p><p>Meetings to select the chairman are held in private. The leader is usually nominated and then chosen by consensus. AU officials would not give further details of the proceedings.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=68174026&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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