Southern African delegates are at loggerheads with their eastern and western counterparts.
Southern Africa is demanding a presidency on a rotational basis, while the eastern and western delegates want a vote-based system.
Dramatic scenes in the Pan-African Parliament are bad for the image of an institution still trying to maintain relevance, says one analyst.
Within minutes of starting the session meant to elect a new president, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) erupted into more chaos on Tuesday. At the centre of it was a letter believed to be sent from the African Union to the PAP over reforming the contesting voting procedure.