Iraq Fed. Court decides to end functions of Kurdistan Region councils
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The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq has ruled to terminate the activities of the provincial councils in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, citing the completion of their electoral terms.
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The building of the Supreme Judicial Council, Iraq's top court, Baghdad, Iraq, on Jan. 19, 2022 (AFP)
The Federal Supreme Court of Iraq decided on Sunday to conclude the activities of the provincial councils in the Kurdistan region of Iraq due to the completion of their electoral terms.
In an official statement, the court's media department declared, "The Federal Supreme Court has ruled that Article (2) of Law No. (2) of 2019, which amends the Law of the Governorates of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq No. (3) of 2009 is unconstitutional as it contravenes the provisions of Articles (2/First/) B and C) and (6) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq for the year 2005, by the ruling decision No. (124/Federal/2023) issued on 9/24/2023."
Head of the "New Generation" bloc in the Iraqi Parliament, MP Sarwa Abdel Wahed, confirmed that the decision by the Iraqi Federal Court was based on the lawsuit she had previously filed.
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In a post on X, Abdel Wahed stated, "The Federal Court, based on our filed lawsuit, has deemed the extension of the governorate councils' terms in the region unconstitutional," adding that "These councils have been unlawfully receiving salaries for five years, so they must reimburse every cent wrongfully obtained from the people's livelihoods."
بناءً على الدعوى التي رفعناها، قررت المحكمة الاتحادية عدم دستورية تمديد عمر مجالس المحافظات في الإقليم.
— Srwa Abdulwahid. سروه عبدالواحد (@srwa_qadir) September 24, 2023
هذه المجالس تتسلَّم رواتب بطريقة غير قانونية منذ خمس سنوات، لذا يجب عليها إعادة كل فلس أخذته من قوت الشعب دون وجه حق..
لن نتوقف وسنستمر في فضح المخالفات القانونية والدستورية…
Additionally, Abdel Wahed asserted, "We will persist and continue to expose the legal and constitutional infringements of the ruling parties in the region," pointing out that "The New Generation has now won two lawsuits, the first being against the extension of the Parliament's term, and we are dedicated to upholding democratic principles through all means."
It is worth noting that in July 2019, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq's Parliament passed a proposal to amend the law governing provincial councils in the region, including extending the terms of the existing councils to bridge the legal gap created by the expiration of their mandates.
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Judge Jassim Muhammad Abboud, President of the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court, affirmed that the decision to extend the Kurdistan Parliament's term for one year, issued in 2022, was unconstitutional, describing it as a threat to democracy in the country.
Furthermore, it's noteworthy that in May, the Federal Court had already ruled that the decision to extend the Kurdistan Parliament's term, issued in 2022, was unconstitutional, declaring all decisions made by the regional parliament after the extension in October 2022 as "null and void."
The Kurdistan Region Presidency has scheduled parliamentary elections for November 18, which have faced delays due to disagreements among Kurdish parties regarding their conduct.
