She is also the first female parliamentary speaker in the Muslim world.
The first test of a such a possibility would be the election of the parliamentary speaker.
Rising to prominence as an anti-imperialist, he was opposition leader briefly, before becoming parliamentary Speaker.
On 5 February 2013 Atkinson became the parliamentary speaker.
In 2010, he was deputy parliamentary speaker.
Bronislaw Komorowski, the parliamentary speaker, has taken over as interim president and will call an election by mid-year.
Peter Westenthaler, the party's parliamentary speaker, also resigned.
It was sent to the heads of state, prime ministers and parliamentary speakers of all EU member states during the campaign.
He was in fact the longest serving parliamentary Speaker in South African history, holding the position for nearly 22 years.
The president's attempt to transfer from the presidency to the post of parliamentary speaker's provoked a constitional impasse and fresh elections.