Former prime minister Yevgeny Primakov gestures as he addresses the newly-elected State Duma lower house of parliament January 18. The first session of Russia's lower house of parliament was thrown into disarray on Tuesday when several political factions stormed out of the chamber in a row over who should become speaker. Several candidates, including Primakov, pulled out of the race at the last moment, accusing the two biggest factions, the Communists and the pro-Kremlin Unity Party of cutting a backroom deal.

CVI