MPs shed light on two major obstacles ahead of the elections

Shafaq News / The State of Law coalition, headed by Nuri al-Maliki, said that voting on the Federal Court Law is essential ahead of the Parliamentary elections, and the Legal Committee stressed the need to amend the electoral law.

MP of the State of Law bloc, Gatah Al-Rikabi, said in a statement to Shafaq News Agency, "The differences and problems between the blocs and political parties regarding the Federal Court Law have not been resolved yet," stressing, "there is no agreement on amending or drafting a new law for the Federal Court."

He added, "It is not possible to hold parliamentary elections on the specified date without voting on the Federal Court law, given that it is the only authority empowered to validate the election results."

"After the Council of Representatives finishes voting on the General Budget Law, it will dedicate its next sessions to amending and voting on the Federal Court Law."

The Federal Court is the highest judicial authority in Iraq, and its quorum is mandatory upon issuing any decision.

The court mainly deals with settling disputes between the federal government and the regions and governorates, as well as interpreting the provisions of disputed laws.

For her part, a member of the legal committee, Dr. Bahar Mahmoud, said that the Parliamentary election law is very difficult to implement on the ground in its current form, calling for amending this law, which has become essential for free and fair elections.

Dr. Mahmoud said in a press release, "the parliamentary elections law has many problems and needs amendments. Technically speaking, it isn't easy to apply it with a new commission despite the judges' professionalism in their field of work. The elections are a new field for them, especially since the electoral system has completely changed. The security, health, and economic situation of the country is another difficulty to holding the elections."

"The elections have been postponed to October. This gives time for amendments to this law," she noted, "the change bloc submitted a proposal to amend this law."

The Parliamentarian emphasized, "amending this law is essential because the goal of early elections is to hold free and fair elections, unlike the 2018 elections. Without amending the law, there will be no elections that express the true will of the voter," calling on "the demonstrators and the Iraqi street to exert pressure to change this law."