Iraqi MP resigns in protest against speaker

Iraqi MP Hassan al-Yasery, representative of the State of Law Coalition, resigned on Wednesday in protest at the conduct of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Osama al-Najafi. Yasery accused the speaker of violating the constitution and breaking impartiality, telling Arab Today: "Since I entered parliament I have been keen to support the legislative tools in the House of Representatives, using my experience of the constitution and law. But the approach adopted by the Speaker of the parliament prevented me from fulfilling my role in this regard." He emphasised his respect for those who voted for him in the parliamentary elections, but said the Najafi had violated the constitution. On Tuesday the State of Law Coalition, led by Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, called on Najafi to  apologise for recent statements in which he described MPs as “incompetent”. The group has also submitted a request to the presidency, signed by 25 MPs, for the speaker be held accountable.