Parliament begins session to elect new speaker

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi parliament started its regular session on Monday under First Deputy Speaker Sheikh Khaled al-Attiya to elect the new speaker. Sunday’s session (Feb. 8) was postponed until today (Feb 9) after six parliamentary blocs withdrew, rendering the required quorum to elect the speaker unobserved. Five candidates are vying over the speaker post: Iyad al-Samarraie of the Iraqi Islamic Party (IIP), independent lawmaker Wathab al-Dulaimi, NDC lawmaker Khalil Jaddou, Abad Motlak al-Juburi of the Independent Arab Bloc and independent legislator Hussein al-Falluji. The Iraqi parliament is still without a speaker since former speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani’s resignation was accepted in an extraordinary session held on December 23, 2008 after a squabble between him and members from the security & defense and legal committees and some words he said which were considered “insulting.” SH (P)/SR 1