BAGHDAD (Dispatches) -- Iraq’s parliament held its first session since October’s national election on Sunday but failed to elect a speaker, in what should have been the first step toward forming a new government.
The speaker selection process was disrupted as competing political blocs each claimed to hold a parliamentary majority. After heated debates and shouting among lawmakers, the temporary leader of the assembly, Mahmoud al-Mashahadani, decided to adjourn the session and it is not known when parliament will resume.
In a further complication, Mashahadani, who at 73 is the oldest member of parliament, was suddenly taken ill and transported to hospital by ambulance. A new temporary speaker will need to be appointed before parliament can resume, parliament’s media office said. It did not give further details about Mashahadani’s condition except to say that his blood pressure was being checked.
Parliament had been due to elect a speaker and two deputies during its first meeting.
Parliament also has 30 days from the first session to elect the country’s new president, who will then ask the largest bloc in parliament to form a government.
The session was held three months after legislative elections won by Moqtada Sadr, the likely kingmaker of the next government.
Sadr, 47, who led an anti-U.S. militia and who has a large and dedicated following, is expected to have the key say in who will serve as the next prime minister, a post now held by Mustafa al-Kadhemi.
Sunday saw the swearing in of the 329 members of the unicameral parliament, who will now have to elect a speaker, a post by convention reserved for Sunnis.
The post-election period has been marred by tensions and allegations of fraud, and a dispute broke out Sunday between deputies of the Coordination Framework coalition and their Sadrist rivals, several parliamentary sources said.
Some experts and politicians expect a new governing team in place by March for the oil-rich but war-battered country of 40 million.
Sadr has repeatedly said he wants to break with the Iraqi political tradition of a “consensus” government to instead build a majority government.
That would mean building a ruling majority that would appoint a premier and cabinet from within its ranks.
Sadr has hinted that he prefers an alliance with Sunni groups Azm and Taqadom, and a Kurdish party, the KDP.
The post of premier historically goes to a Shia, under Iraq’s informal system of religious and ethnic quotas in place since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.