Baghdad: Iraqs new parliament ended its inaugural session Tuesday after failing to make any progress in choosing a new prime minister even as the country faces a militant blitz that threatens to rip it apart and a spike in violence that made June the deadliest month in at least two years.
Acting speaker Mahdi Al Hafidh called off the proceedings after most of the 328-member legislatures Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers did not return after a short break. Their absence deprived parliament of a quorum.
The entire session, from the opening national anthem to Al Hafidhs final words, lasted less than two hours. The impasse prolongs what has already been days of intense jockeying as political blocs try to decide on the posts of prime minister, president and speaker of parliament.
The countrys top cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, urged lawmakers last week to agree on the three posts before Tuesdays meeting in hopes of averting months of wrangling that could further destabilise the country. But Tuesdays session dashed the prospects – always farfetched – of a quick compromise.
Embattled incumbent Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki – whose bloc won the most seats in April elections – is under intense pressure to step aside. Section of Sunnis and Kurds accuse him of breaking promises, and long-held grievances are seen as one of the main factors driving resurgent militancy in the country.
The need for a new government that can keep the country together is urgent following the recent offensive spearheaded by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an Al Qaida breakaway group that has overrun much of northern and western Iraq.
The threat posed to Iraq by the recent militant offensive was underlined by new casualty figures released Tuesday by the United Nations that put Junes death toll at 2,417 – making it the deadliest month so far this year.
The figures issued by the UN mission to Iraq include 1,531 civilians and 886 security forces. UNAMI added that 2,287 Iraqis, including 1,763 civilians, were wounded.
The figures exclude deaths in embattled Anbar province, which is largely controlled by militants.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
