Parliament begins session to elect speaker

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi parliament started its regular session on Wednesday under First Deputy Speaker Sheikh Khaled al-Attiya to elect the new speaker, according to a statement posted on its website. “The session will focus on electing a new speaker and the first reading of the federal budget of 2009 draft law,” the statement added. “Heads of Fadhila party, Sadrist bloc, al-Daawa party are meeting outside the session to unify their stance towards the candidates,” Sadrist MP Maha al-Douri told IraqiNews.com news agency. 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 (S) 1