The Iraqi parliament has held its first session, three months after the March 7 parliamentary elections.
The election resulted in political stalemate, with no political leader managing to form a viable majority.
The inaugural parliamentary session on June 14 is seen as a major step toward the forming of a government, but it appears likely it would still take weeks for political factions to agree on a choice of a prime minister.
Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's cross-sectarian Iraqyia alliance, which had support from minority Sunnis, narrowly won the election -- but it fell well short of taking a majority.
Two leading Shi'ite blocs, meanwhile, have recently formed an alliance, but they are also four seats short of a majority and have so far not been able to agree on a leader to put forward for the post of prime minister.
Lawmakers were supposed to pick a speaker at the session, but Fouad Masoum, a Kurdish lawmaker and one of the oldest deputies who presided over the session said political parties needed more time for consultation.
The election resulted in political stalemate, with no political leader managing to form a viable majority.
The inaugural parliamentary session on June 14 is seen as a major step toward the forming of a government, but it appears likely it would still take weeks for political factions to agree on a choice of a prime minister.
Former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's cross-sectarian Iraqyia alliance, which had support from minority Sunnis, narrowly won the election -- but it fell well short of taking a majority.
Two leading Shi'ite blocs, meanwhile, have recently formed an alliance, but they are also four seats short of a majority and have so far not been able to agree on a leader to put forward for the post of prime minister.
Lawmakers were supposed to pick a speaker at the session, but Fouad Masoum, a Kurdish lawmaker and one of the oldest deputies who presided over the session said political parties needed more time for consultation.
compiled from agency reports