Monday, April 04, 2005
Iraq: A Sunni gets the speakers position
Jax
Iraq broke its political deadlock yesterday when parliament finally elected a speaker and paved the way for forming a new government nine weeks after the country's election.
Deputies appeared relieved and buoyant after selecting Hajem al-Hassani, a Sunni Arab who is currently industry minister, to chair the 275-seat assembly and belatedly open the next phase of naming a presidential council and cabinet and writing a constitution.
Some party leaders said a government would be formed within days, but continued wrangling between the Shia and Kurdish blocs which won the January 30 poll could leave the prime minister, Ayad Allawi's, caretaker administration to limp on for several more weeks.
"We passed the first hurdle," said Mr Hassani. "The Iraqi people have proven that they can overcome the political crisis that has plagued the country for the last two months."
Protracted horsetrading over posts and policies had drained momentum from the election and prevented parliament from selecting a speaker, turning its sitting last week into a shouting match.
Yesterday all went smoothly, lifting the mood in Baghdad's convention centre, the assembly's temporary residence in heavily fortified green zone, despite a nearby mortar which made a loud bang but caused little damage.
Mr Hassani won 215 votes in a secret ballot after power brokers in all the main groups backed his candidacy. The once privileged Sunni Arab minority has become alienated since a US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein two years ago.
Giving the speakership to a Sunni is an attempt to coax Sunnis into politics and away from the insurgency. Mr Hassani, an affable, conciliatory figure, was applauded when he urged deputies to pledge "allegiance to the country and the people, not to the party or the sect or the ethnicity". (Link)
