Iraqi parliament fails to elect president for second time

Legislators belonging to Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s parliamentary bloc prepare to attend a parliamentary session in Baghdad (AP)

Iraqi legislators have failed to select a head of state for a second time, further deepening a political crisis spurred by infighting following federal elections five months ago.

Only 202 members arrived to Iraq’s parliament, falling short of the two-thirds quorum required for the 329-member legislature to conduct an electoral session to select the country’s president.