What next after Iraq's election?

IRAQIS headed to the polls yesterday to elect a new parliament for a fouryear term in a vote that was closely watched in Washington and Tehran.

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Here is a look at what could come next and what the regional impact could be.

What happens after the vote?

Iraq's Supreme Court must first ratify the election results.

Two weeks later, the newly elected members of parliament should convene for a swearing-in ceremony and to choose their speaker, who by convention should be a member from the Sunni community.

Within 30 days of their first meeting, lawmakers should elect the country's president, who must be a Kurd and receive a two-thirds majority vote.

The president then has to appoint within 15 days a prime minister, who will be named by the largest Shiite bloc, formed through post-election alliances.

Once the prime minister is chosen, he has one month to form a government and present it to parliament for a vote of confidence.

But these processes are often challenging, with deadlines frequently missed due to political bickering among rival factions.

Parties tend to delay votes, opting instead for intensive talks, which can impact not only parliamentary proceedings but also cause unrest.