Four months after parliamentary elections in Iraq, two coalition blocs have emerged with real chances of forming a majority faction within the parliament -- Nouri al-Maliki's state-of-the-law bloc, and the head of Popular Mobilisation Forces, Hadi al-Ameri's al-Fath bloc.

Iran Press/Middle East-The painstakingly slow task of forming  a new Iraqi government got a real boost on Monday 3 September, with the convening of the first session of the Iraqi parliament. 

The heads of the three branches of the Iraqi government , and all the political factions and parties which make up the  parliament attended the opening session on Monday.

In his speech to parliament, President Fouad Ma'soum said:  "I firmly believe that through friendship and brotherhood, members of parliament can overcome all problems facing the nation".

The Iraqi parliament has 329 seats in total. Traditionally , the oldest MP presides over the first session of the Iraqi parliament.  After much bargaining and negotiations, the speaker of the parliament will be appointed,  and then MPs will choose a president -- a largely ceremonial post.

The majority faction within the parliament will then decide who is going to be the prime minister of the country. After months of political bargaining, two powerful coalition blocs have emerged with real chances of forming a majority faction within the parliament -- Nouri al-Maliki's state-of-the-law bloc, and the head of Popular Mobilisation Forces, Hadi al-Ameri's al-Fath bloc. 

However, some political allies of prime minister, Haidar al-Ebadi are calling themselves a "majority faction", and the head of the parliament has decided to refer the issue to the Iraqi judiciary. The courts will ultimately decide who will form a majority faction within the parliament.

Observers believe that assembling a government is a difficult task which may take many more weeks, but over the next two or three days, the Speaker of the Iraqi parliament, and his deputies, will be determined through a simple majority vote in the assembly. The next session of the Iraqi parliament will  be convened on Tuesday.