The new Russian State Duma or lower house of the parliament elected its deputy speakers at a Wednesday session.

Lyubov Sliska, 47-year-old woman deputy of the Unity faction in the lower chamber, was elected first deputy Duma speaker by a vote of 266 against ten with five abstentions.

Pyotr Romanov of the Communist Party, Vladimir Zhirinovsky of the Liberal Democratic Party, Vladimir Averchenko of the People's Deputy group and Gennady Semigin of the Agro-industrial Group were elected deputy Duma speakers.

Meanwhile, Andrei Nikolayev was elected chairman of the Defense Committee of the State Duma. Dmitry Rogozin will head the Foreign Affairs Committee and Alexander Gurov -- the Security Committee.

Representatives of the Union of Right-Wing Forces, Fatherland-All Russia and Yabloko factions did not vote.

Tuesday evening, at the first plenary session of the new, also third State Duma, Russian Communist Party leader Gennady Seleznyov,who headed the second Duma, was re-elected speaker of the lower house by a vote of 285 against two with seven abstentions. (Xinhua)