Iraqi parliament resumes session, starts vote to select speaker - statement

Iraq's parliament resumed its session on Sunday after a brief adjournment and started the process to elect a new speaker, a statement by the parliament said.

 

The speaker selection process was disrupted as competing political blocs each claimed to hold a parliamentary majority.

 

A new acting speaker presided over the session after Mahmoud al-Mashahadani, who, at 73 is the oldest member of parliament, was suddenly taken ill and taken to hospital.