Iraq's Parliament divided over 'One Basket' lawmaking
Shafaq News/ Iraq's political factions are embroiled in a heated debate over the use of the "one basket" approach to pass legislation, parliamentary sources told Shafaq News on Saturday.
Regarding upcoming legislations, the sources revealed that Shiite blocs have proposed amendments to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) law to facilitate its approval, while Sunni and Kurdish parties have linked its passage to other key issues, sources said. These include the dissolution of the Accountability and Justice Commission, a priority for Sunni factions, and the official recognition of Halabja as an Iraqi province, a longstanding Kurdish demand.
The same approach—bundling contentious laws into a single vote—was used on Jan. 21 when Iraq’s parliament passed three disputed bills: the Personal Status Law, the General Amnesty Law, and the Property Restitution Law. The move followed months of deadlock, heated debates, and session cancellations due to fierce political disputes.
The MP of the State of Law Coalition, Thaer Makhif Al-Jubouri, criticized the one-basket method, arguing it undermines democratic principles. "Passing controversial laws under this practice does not reflect true democracy," Al-Jubouri told Shafaq News. "The same applies to future legislation that may face objections or require further discussion."
He noted that proposed revisions to the PMF law include adjusting retirement age regulations. "One alternative suggests that brigade commanders exceeding the retirement age could be reassigned as security advisors and granted a monthly financial reward in recognition of their service," he said.
The legal and Security and Defense committees in parliament will determine whether these amendments will be incorporated into the final version of the PMF Retirement Law, he added.
