COLOMBO Sri Lanka's new Parliament elected President Chandrika Kumaratunga's politically estranged brother and opposition lawmaker as speaker on Wednesday.
But the announcement of a cabinet has been delayed because a key party is split over its support for Kumaratunga's ruling alliance, hobbling the government in its first week in office.
Anura Bandaranaike, a member of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), was elected unopposed by the 225-member house in which no party has a working majority after last week's elections.
Bandaranaike's name was proposed by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake of Kumaratunga's People's Alliance (PA) and seconded by unp leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Both men accompanied Bandaranaike to the speaker's chair to applause from both sides of the house.
"I promise to uphold the highest traditions of this house," said Bandaranaike before swearing-in the other lawmakers.
Bandaranaike, a former minister and opposition leader, comes from the country's most prominent political family and is the son of two prime ministers.
(Reuter)