With political leaders deadlocked, Iraq’s parliament postponed on Monday its next session until mid-August, delaying the formation of a new government for weeks.

The impasse, coupled with the military’s sluggish counteroffensive, underlined just how difficult a task Iraqis face as they try to keep their country from fracturing along sectarian and ethnic lines.


The United States, which withdrew the last American troops from Iraq in 2011, and other world powers have pressed for the quick formation of a new government, as has Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, the revered Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. Many Iraqi politicians are pushing for the removal of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, whose fiercely pro-Shiite leadership they blame for alienating the Sunni minority and fueling support for the insurgency.

Lawmakers met last week for the new parliament’s first session since April elections, but the meeting ended without agreeing on a new prime minister, president and speaker of parliament. The legislature had been expected to meet again on Tuesday, but that session was called off since no progress had been made over the past week untangling the political situation.

Acting speaker of parliament Mahdi al-Hafidh said in a statement on Monday that “after discussions with the heads of the blocs and concerned parties” the next session will be held instead on Aug. 12. He expressed hope that “another chance will be available for more dialogue and discussions to arrange that meeting.”