Iraqi parliament proceeds with a second reading for the emergency food security bill

Shafaq News/ Iraq's lawmaking body on Tuesday proceeded with a second reading for an emergency bill on food security and development.

The parliament presidium commenced the extraordinary session with 250 Legislators in attendance.

On May 19, the parliament gave the first stamp of approval to a bill that enables Mustafa al-Kadhimi's caretaker government to spend money in order to tackle the skyrocketing prices of food products.

However, the road for a second reading was not strewn with roses. A bitter stalemate has paralyzed the passing bill, with rival political parties at odds over it.

On 17 May, Iraq's Federal Supreme Court, the country's supreme judicial authority, ruled against the bill proposed by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, saying that the country's constitution caretaker governments cannot propose draft laws.

Later on, the same bill was put forth by lawmakers from the trilateral coalition and passed the first reading.

On 26 May, al-Sadr directed his bloc, and hence the parliament, to pass the draft law for "the Iraqi people can utilize directly from the law."