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Iraqi parliament

elects ex-PM

Hammadi as speaker

BAGHDAD: Iraq's parliament on Monday elected former prime minister Saadoun Hammadi as speaker.

Hammadi, a senior member of the ruling Baath party, beat independent deputy Sabri Faleh Mohammed for the post of the speaker, winning 248 votes in the new 250-member National Assembly.

Hammadi was Iraq's prime minister from 1991 to 1993 and served a previous term as speaker of parliament from 1984 to 1988.

The first session of the new parliament on Sunday was devoted to the swearing-in of the deputies.

Elections for the new parliament were held on March 24 to choose 220 deputies. President Saddam Hussein appointed 30 members to represent northern provinces under Kurdish rebel control where no elections took place.

Senior officials have said the new assembly will emerge as the third legislative force in Iraq beside the powerful Revolutionary Command Council and the cabinet, both chaired by Saddam.-Reuter