Iraq's parliament elected the Sunni politician Haibat Al Halbousi as Speaker during its first session on Monday, the state news agency reported.
Mr Al Halbousi received 208 votes, while two other candidates for the post, Salem Al Issawi and Amer Abdul Jaber, received 66 and nine votes respectively, the Iraqi News Agency said. There were 26 invalid ballots, and 20 legislators did not attend the session.
The legislature was meeting for the first time after Iraq's federal supreme court ratified the results of the November 11 parliamentary elections, kicking off the gruelling process of forming a government.
The session was chaired by Amer Al Fayez, the oldest MP and head of the Shiite Tasmim Alliance. The election of the speaker and two deputies is held after the parliament's 329 members are sworn in.
According to an informal power-sharing agreement introduced after the US invasion in 2003, the role of the speaker is reserved for a Sunni politician, while the presidency lies with the Kurds and the prime minister must be Shiite.
Monday's session was held amid a dispute between Sunni parties over the candidate for the speakership.
The National Political Council, comprising most of the Sunni blocs, on Sunday nominated Mr Al Halbousi of the Taqadum Party for the position. He is the cousin of the party's leader and former parliamentary speaker Mohammed Al Halbousi.
But on Monday, the Azm Alliance leader Muthanna Al Samarrai declared himself a candidate, while his party rejected the council's decision to nominate Mr Al Halbousi. He later withdrew his candidacy.
Leaders of the main Sunni blocs announced the formation of the council last month to present a unified stance during negotiations over the next government.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party has nominated Shakhawan Abdullah for the role of second deputy speaker – a position he held in the previous parliamentary term. Shiite blocs are yet to announce their candidate for the first deputy speaker.
Parliament must elect the president within 30 days of its first session. The president, in turn, will name a prime minister, selected by the largest parliamentary bloc, to form the Cabinet within 15 days.
Iraq has often failed to meet these constitutional deadlines due to disagreements between rival factions. The current Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al Sudani, took office a full year after the October 2021 elections.
