Iraqi lawmakers elect Sunni Arab as parliament speaker
BAGHDAD -- Amid escalating political wrangling, Iraqi lawmakers elected an Iran-backed Sunni Arab as speaker of parliament on Saturday, the first step in forming a new government four months after national elections.
The 37-year old speaker was supported by the pro-Iran bloc inside parliament, the Building coalition, which is mainly made up of Iran-backed Shiite militiamen -- underscoring the growing Iranian influence in the process of forming the country's new government.
During a secret ballot, 169 lawmakers voted for Mohammed al-Halbousi, the former governor of Anbar, and 89 others voted for the former defense minister, Khalid al-Obeidi, lawmaker Ahmed al-Asadi said. Two deputies, a Shiite and a Kurd, will be elected later Saturday, al-Asadi added.
