Iraq’s Election Law in doubt: Sunni bloc pushes back

Shafaq News/ Proposed changes to Iraq’s election law are unlikely to advance due to constitutional restrictions and political opposition, a senior official from the Unified Sunni Leadership Coalition said on Monday.

The amendments, aimed at revising the voting framework ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for October, have not been formally introduced in Parliament and face multiple procedural hurdles, including difficulty in reaching quorum and a lack of cross-party consensus.

“There is near-total political and parliamentary agreement against revising the law,” the official told Shafaq News, pointing to concerns over financial implications and legal constraints.

He also considered the proposal would contradict Federal Supreme Court Decision No. 21 of 2015, which bars parliament from initiating legislation with financial impact unless it originates from the executive branch.

Iraq’s existing election law, enacted in 2019 after nationwide anti-government protests, introduced a single non-transferable vote system in multi-member districts, replacing the previous closed-list model. The shift was intended to weaken the influence of entrenched parties and open space for independent candidates.

Several independent lawmakers have floated amendment proposals to this law in recent weeks, but none have been submitted as formal legislation. “Much of the discussion is political noise,” the official emphasized.

Critics of the current amendment push say it would reverse those reforms and favor larger political blocs. “Some political forces try to adjust the rules ahead of every election to serve their own interests,” he spointed out, adding that certain proposals are also seen as efforts to "undermine" the current government.