New Delhi, Jan. 29 -- Scuffles and shouting broke out Wednesday during a joint session of Somalia's parliament after the speaker attempted to advance proposed constitutional amendments that opposition lawmakers said would extend parliament's mandate, forcing the session's suspension.

Somalia has been under a provisional constitution since 2012, and repeated efforts to finalize it have exposed deep divisions over governance and power-sharing between the federal government and regional states.

A similar attempt to extend political mandates under former president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed triggered a constitutional crisis in 2021 and led to armed confrontations in Mogadishu, pushing the country to the brink of wider unrest.

Wednesday's di...