Iraqi economist steps aside after Parliament payroll dispute
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Prominent Iraqi economist Nabil Al-Marsoumi announced on Friday that he would step away from media engagement following a dispute with Iraq's Parliament over staffing and salary figures he published.
Al-Marsoumi said he had decided to "remain silent and leave," arguing that official documents ultimately reveal the truth but that defending it often comes at a personal cost. "My story with Parliament is not over yet, and even if it ends, it may happen again, as long as the authorities retain their deterrent power,” he added.
Parliament had accused him of publishing "inaccurate" information and threatened legal action. It disputed Al-Marsoumi's claim that about 12,500 staff members receive average monthly pay of roughly 3.5 million Iraqi dinars (approximately $2,250) —which he said was more than 12 times the salary of an average state employee. The legislature maintained that its workforce was less than one-quarter of that number and that compensation is paid in accordance with state laws and regulations.
In response, the economist published what he described as official Ministry of Finance data showing that employee compensation reached 551.2 billion Iraqi dinars (about $353.9M) in 2025. He cited staffing figures of 2,216 employees in Parliament, 1,051 in the National Accountability and Justice Commission, 937 in the Property Claims Commission, 3,984 in the Board of Supreme Audit, 2,864 in the Federal Integrity Commission, and 144 in the Federal Public Service Council.
