Iraq gets new parliament speaker after yearlong deadlock

After astir a year’s deadlock, Iraq’s parliament elected a caller talker Thursday.

Prominent Sunni lawmaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who served arsenic parliament’s talker from 2006 to 2009, was elected by 182 of the 269 politicians successful attendance.

Iraq’s parliament has been without a talker since past November, pursuing a ruling of the Federal Supreme Court successful a lawsuit that progressive then-speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, the country’s astir almighty Sunni politician, and chap lawmaker Laith al-Dulaimi, besides Sunni.

In the lawsuit, Dulaimi claimed Halbousi forged Dulaimi’s signature connected a resignation letter, according to an Associated Press report. Halbousi denied the claim. Iraq’s apical court’s ruling successful the lawsuit dismissed some lawmakers from parliament but did not springiness a crushed for the verdict.

Iraq’s governmental scenery operates nether a delicate power-sharing system, created to debar factional conflict. Under the arrangement, the country’s president is ever a Kurd, the premier curate is Shite and parliament’s talker is Sunni. Mashhadani’s enactment arsenic talker was made imaginable by a Sunni and Shite bloc, according to reports.

Under specified a fragmented system, the talker plays a captious role. The talker is expected to guarantee that politicians adhere to due legislative order. In addition, the talker is besides tasked with resolving conflicts and gathering statement among the lawmakers.

Mashhadani assumes the talker presumption astatine a captious and fractious time, arsenic the Middle East has erupted successful wars and Iraq is seeking to support its relationships with respective countries, including erstwhile adversaries Iran and the U.S.

Some accusation provided by Reuters and The Associated Press.