The dispute over Mr Jaafari's leadership has poisoned Iraqi politics to the extent that, until a week ago, nearly three months after December's elections, the two sides could not even agree to convene the newly elected parliament by the constitutional deadline of March 15th.
This week, the first freely elected parliament in Hungary since 1945 will convene and begin the difficult process of establishing a new, democratic government in accordance with the mandate given by the voters in elections held on 8 April 1990.