Iraqi Federal Court to Hear Kurdistan Salary Issue Amid Optimism from PUK Lawmakers

Iraq 01:54 PM - 2025-06-15

Iraqi Federal Court

The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court is expected to hold a hearing this week concerning the suspension of salaries for public employees in the Kurdistan Region, while a lawmaker from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) expressed confidence that the court’s ruling will be favourable to the affected employees, emphasising that the PUK is committed to resolving the issue through dialogue rather than confrontational rhetoric.

Srwa Mohammed, a PUK lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament, told PUKMEDIA: “The judges of the Federal Court are currently in Saudi Arabia performing the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage. Were it not for regional tensions and the closure of Iraqi airports, the court would have convened its regular session on Monday, 15 June 2025. Should the judges be unable to return in time, the hearing will be postponed to the following day.”

Mohammed added: “Based on information that we have received from the Federal Court, the session will take place this week and is expected to be positive, with a decision anticipated regarding the disbursement of salaries for the Kurdistan Region.”

She continued: “The Federal Court has consistently ruled in the public interest, safeguarding the rights of public employees and citizens of both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. We remain optimistic that this decision will uphold those principles.”

Mohammed further highlighted the PUK’s efforts, stating: “As the PUK bloc, including our representatives in Baghdad, ministers in the Iraqi Council of Ministers, and party leadership, we have persistently sought to resolve the salary issue through constructive dialogue and away from harsh language. It is imperative that all Kurdish parties unite in prioritising the interests of the Kurdish people, supporting Kurdish judges in the Federal Court and Kurdish ministers.”

Iraqi President and Federal Court President Discuss Salary Crisis

On Sunday, 15 June 2025, Iraqi President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid received Judge Jassim al-Amiri, President of the Federal Supreme Court, in Baghdad, the Iraqi Presidency announced.

President Rashid emphasised the necessity of strengthening the rule of law and preserving the independence of the judiciary, recognising it as the fundamental guarantor for resolving disputes.

He also underscored the need to find a definitive solution to the disbursement of financial dues owed to public employees in the Kurdistan Region, stressing that this humanitarian issue must be addressed in accordance with the constitution, relevant laws, and the rulings of the Federal Court.

Court Decision May Prompt Government Negotiations

Earlier, Karwan Yarwais, another PUK lawmaker in the Iraqi parliament, told PUKMEDIA: “The decisions expected from this session of the Federal Court, concerning the complaint filed by employees over the suspension of salaries of the Kurdistan Region's public employees, may compel the federal and regional governments to negotiate. This would shift the matter from a political dispute to one governed by constitutional and legal frameworks.”

Yarwais referenced previous rulings, stating: “The Iraqi Federal Court, in complaints No. 224 and 269 of 2023, ruled that the salary issue of the Kurdistan Region must be resolved. It would be unprecedented for the court to overturn these decisions.”

He added: “A fair ruling by the court could depoliticise the issue, placing it firmly within constitutional, legal, financial, and accounting parameters. Such a decision would also relieve Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani from political pressures surrounding this matter.”

The Iraqi Minister of Finance declared last month that the federal government would no longer allocate salaries to the Kurdistan Region, citing that its full share of the national budget for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025—approved by Parliament—had already been disbursed.

On 1 June 2025, public employees of the Kurdistan Region submitted a lawsuit in the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court concerning the suspension of their salaries. The lawsuit requests that the court issue a binding state order compelling the Iraqi Ministry of Finance to enforce the Federal Court’s prior rulings, which mandate that the prime ministers of both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region nationalise (Tawtin) the payment of all public employees’ salaries.

The Federal Supreme Court responded by stating: “We will decide on the lawsuit as soon as possible.”



PUKMEDIA