Federal Court review disrupts Iraq’s Coalition meeting plans

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraq’s State Administration Coalition postponed its scheduled meeting, initially set for February 8, to allow the Federal Supreme Court time to review legal challenges against the “bundle vote” process and its injunction suspending three controversial laws.

The State Administration Coalition – which includes Shiite parties from the Coordination Framework, Sunni blocs such as Taqadum and Sovereignty, and Kurdish factions including the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) – was formed to “maintain political stability” and “implement agreements” among Iraq’s major political forces.

Some factions within the Coalition and the Coordination Framework have yet to finalize their proposals, sources told Shafaq News, adding that the meeting was expected to address “security, political, and economic issues, alongside regional and international developments.”

Among the key topics was the Federal Supreme Court’s recent injunction suspending amendments to the General Amnesty Law, the Personal Status Law, and the Property Restitution Law. The ruling sparked strong opposition from Sunni factions and some Kurdish parties, which labeled the intervention as “judicial overreach.” Meanwhile, the Coordination Framework defended the court’s role, emphasizing its “constitutional mandate to oversee legislative processes.”

Despite the injunction, courts across Iraq began implementing amendments to the General Amnesty Law on Thursday, following directives from the Supreme Judicial Council which maintained that courts are “required to enforce the General Amnesty Law.”

Notably, The January 21 session, which saw the passing of the three controversial laws in a single vote, also triggered an effort to remove Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, accusing him of overseeing an “unconstitutional voting process.”