Kuwait National Assembly members named MP Ahmad Al-Saadoun as speaker for the 17th legislative session Tuesday after no lawmaker contested his candidacy. In a brief statement after his election, Al-Saadoun hoped that the coming stage would witness achievements as a result of cooperation between the executive and legislative authorities. Article 92 of the Constitution and Article 28 of the statute state that the house elects speaker and deputy speaker until end of the National Assembly"s term. The election of these posts followed constitutional oath taken by the MPs and ministers. Born in 1934, Al-Saadoun was speaker of the house in 1985, 1992 and 1996. He was parliament member for 10 consecutive legislative terms starting from 1975. Before the election of speaker, Minister of State for National Assembly Affairs and Minister of State for Housing Affairs Ammar Al-Ajmi announced the government would leave the hall to allow MPs elect their speaker "in a transparent and fair manner." He said the government was acting upon directives "of the political leadership to allow the nation elect their speaker in a transparent and fair manner." The Deputy Amir and Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah reiterated in his speech before the parliament earlier today that the government would not interfere in the election of the speaker nor committees. — KUNA