Tunis, Mar 14 (IANS): Tunisia held the first session of its new Parliament after President Kais Saied froze the previous one on July 25, 2021.

Amid strict security measures, a total of 154 lawmakers out of 161 were sworn in at the session on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

The seven vacant seats dedicated to deputies from abroad will be subject to future by-elections in the constituencies concerned.

The new Parliament also elected Ibrahim Bouderbala as its speaker.

Bouderbala, the former president of the Tunisian Bar Association, garnered 83 votes in the second round while his competitor Abdessalem Dahmani got 67.

The 71-year-old speaker will be assisted by Saoussen Mabrouk and Anouer Marzouki, two deputy speakers who were elected at the same session.

"From the decisive day in the history of Tunisia, we constitute a united and solid bloc, working hand in hand to take up the key and major challenge, namely the satisfaction of the aspirations of the Tunisian people," Bouderbala said after his election.

The new parliament was elected in December and January in a vote with a turnout of 11 per cent.