African Parliament election suspended after second day of disorder

For the second day in a row in Midrand, Johannesburg, Leadership elections for the Pan-African Parliament once again saw lawmakers butt heads over the approach to choosing the presidency i.e. whether the presidency should be rotated by region.

In light of the unproductive disagreements, the sitting was suspended, lights were turned off, and the members of parliament were asked to leave.

Clerk of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) Mr Vipya HARAWA

"No election ..... in this climate, and naturally I suspend this session, to give you time to calm down .... and when the time is appropriate, we will come back, and we will proceed to vote, this session is suspended! "

Formed in 2004, The parliament -- whose members are elected through their national legislatures, sits for three weeks twice a year at its headquarters in Midrand, located between the South African capital Pretoria and Johannesburg

The assembly is the legislative branch of the African Union, but in reality, it is merely a consultative body.