Iraq's Fifth Parliamentary Term Leaves 250 Bills for Incoming Legislature

Iraq 01:46 PM - 2025-11-18

A previous session if the Iraqi Parliament.

Political disagreements and factional disputes have resulted in a significant legislative backlog, with around 250 bills from the fifth parliamentary term carried over to the newly elected sixth term. Among the most critical are the long-delayed Oil and Gas Bill and the Federal General Budget Bill.

According to a report by Al-Sabah newspaper, more than 125 bills have completed their second reading or are ready for a vote. A similar number remain pending and are considered essential, requiring swift inclusion on the parliamentary agenda.

Legal expert Ali al-Tamimi told the newspaper that several key laws—despite their importance and relevance to public interest—have yet to be passed.

He highlighted the Oil and Gas Bill as the most significant, noting that it has remained unresolved since 2007. The bill would regulate relations between the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), establish a Federal Oil Council to oversee company contracts and determine revenue mechanisms, and ultimately help resolve longstanding disputes, including the salary crisis between Baghdad and Erbil.

Al-Tamimi added that other important bills still awaiting approval include the Right to Access Information Bill, the Cybercrime Bill, and protest-related bill already implemented in many countries.

125 Bills Ready for Parliamentary Vote

Legal expert and lawyer Mohammed Majid al-Saadi told Al-Sabah that more than 125 bills accumulated from previous parliamentary sessions are now ready to be put to a vote.

He said the most contentious among them—those lacking political consensus—include the Oil and Gas Bill, the Federal General Budget Bill, the Federal Court Bill, and the National Security Bill.

Al-Saadi explained that delays in passing the Federal Court Law stem from disagreements over the mechanism for selecting judges, the role and number of legal experts, and the required two-thirds voting majority.

Similarly, he added, progress on the Federal Council Law has been obstructed by disputes over provincial and regional representation and the distribution of powers between the Council and the parliament.

He noted that the Federal Oil and Gas Bill remains stalled due to disagreements over regional authority, field management, and export arrangements.

Al-Saadi also highlighted the Social Security and Integrated Pension Act—an essential law aimed at providing citizens with a dignified standard of living—as another bill postponed due to its substantial financial implications.

More Than 120 Bills Still Not Scheduled

Meanwhile, legal expert Tariq al-Sharaa said more than 120 bills have not been placed on the legislative agenda, either for political or technical reasons.

He added that among these is the Domestic Violence Bill, which has gone through three rounds of parliamentary debate without being put to a vote, stressing the importance of amending the electoral law.



PUKMEDIA