Why Iraqi Mps Can Never Pass a Law ...

Over the past month the draft law on political parties has once again been in the spotlight. In September, voting on it was postponed thanks to a request from the ruling State of Law coalition, headed by al-Maliki.

Other parties – and in particular, those associated with the Sadrist bloc and the Iraqi Communist party – have been vocal in their protest about this; they say that the draft law needs to be passed before the 2014 elections.

“This is one of the most important laws for the country in terms of organising any political process,” admitted MP Ali Shabbar, a Shiite Muslim politician from the ruling State of Law coalition. “Unfortunately we weren’t able to pass it a few weeks ago and we may not be able to get it passed during the remainder of this parliamentary session.”

*The Federation Council

Another of Iraq’s long-suspended laws involves the Federation Council. The Federation Council is supposed to act in a similar way to the US Senate, the German Bundesrat or the House of Lords in the UK and Articles 46 and 62 of the Iraqi Constitution also specify that a body like the Federation Council should exist..

As NL Aid, a Dutch blog reporting on foreign aid, pointed out in a 2012 essay, the Iraqi Constitution encourages Iraq's provinces to become more independent and form their own regions. To prevent separatism, conflict or the total disintegration of the nation, another element of government is required and this would be the Federation Council.

A law has been drafted and the first draft was finalized and discussed in August of this year. However disagreements on it meant that no consensus between the major parties was reached and now this institution remains in legal limbo.

It’s a big problem, former MP, judge and legal expert, Wael Abdul-Latif, told NIQASH.

“Mainly because of the Federation Council’s part in passing laws,” he explains. “It would help pass laws in a country that still needs many of them.”