Chaos lingers after speaker's historic ouster

Rare revolt seen as latest test for US Congress grappling with internal strife

For the first time in the history of the United States, the House of Representatives on Tuesday ousted its speaker, Republican Kevin McCarthy, plunging the lower chamber of Congress into turmoil and paralysis until a new leader is elected.

"The office of speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant," said presiding Arkansas Republican Steve Womack after the 216-210 vote to remove McCarthy.

His removal left a House roiling. Lawmakers fled the chamber after the vote, some speechless at what they had witnessed. The essential institution no longer has an elected leader, the latest moment of testing for a body grappling with the aftermath of the Capitol siege on Jan 6, 2021, a Republican Party at war with itself and the US' contested role in global leadership, The Associated Press said.