IRAQ PASSES PRIME MINISTERIAL TERM LIMIT

POLICY ALERT FROM THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY


By Michael Knights – January 28, 2012 - On January 27, the Iraqi Council of Representatives passed legislation to limit presidents, prime ministers, and parliamentary speakers to two terms of office.

Although the country’s Supreme Court may soon strike the legislation down, the opposition to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has scored a notable and encouraging victory, demonstrating cohesion throughout the process. In contrast, Maliki’s supporters were divided and may have been signaling him to adopt a less confrontational stance.

The opposition bloc — composed of Iraqi Kurds, the predominately Sunni Arab Iraqiyah list, Muqtada al-Sadr’s followers, and the Shiite-led Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI) — introduced the legislation and rushed it through two readings in parliament in less than two months, which is record time by Iraqi standards. For yesterday’s session, the bloc pulled together an impressive 170 votes, surpassing the 163-seat threshold to pass legislation. Only 70 legislators voted against the bill or abstained.

Greater cooperation between the Iraqi Council of Representatives and the EU Parliament

Greater cooperation between the Iraqi Council of Representatives and the European Parliament

18th March 2009: Today, Baroness Nicholson, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Iraq, hosted a delegation of Committee Chairmen from the Iraqi Council of Representatives.

The seven Chairmen strong delegation is on a fact-finding mission to the European Parliament and the UK Houses of Parliament to discuss and study the work and practices of their Parliament with fellow Parliamentarians in Brussels and London.

Baroness Nicholson welcomed the delegation to the European Parliament saying that “the growing cooperation and flow of information between the two Parliaments is creating a bridge of understanding and friendship between Europe and Iraq”.

The delegation represented by Ala Thasin Habib thanked Baroness Nicholson for her work in Iraq and the developing relations between Iraq and the European Parliament that Iraq highly values and wishes to pursue strongly.ENDS

Notes:- Members of the Iraqi Council of Representatives Delegation:

- Saleh Abdullah Hafthulla - Chairman of Labour and Services Committee

- Abdulkhaliq Mohammed Rashid Zangana - Chairman of the Refugee, Displaced and Immigrants Committee

- Hashim Yahia Ahmed Al Ta’ee - Chairman of the Regions and Governates Committee

- Ismail Shakur Rasul - Chairman of the Complaints Committee

- Ala Thasin Habib - Chairman of the Civil Society Committee

- Raof Osman Marof - Deputy Chairman of Culture, Media, Tourism and Archaeology Committee

- Harith Mohey Aldeen Abd Al-Obaidy - Deputy Chairman of the Human Rights Committee