Federal government of Iraq

Government of Iraq

حكومة العراق

Central government

Coat of arms of Iraq

Overview
Established| 28 December 2005; 19 years ago (2005-12-28)
State| Iraq
Leader| Prime Minister: Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani
Main organ| Cabinet
Ministries| 23
Responsible to| Council of Representatives
Headquarters| Baghdad

Politics of Iraq

Member State of the Arab League

* * *

Constitution

Government

* Federal government
* President (list)

Abdul Latif Rashid
* Prime Minister (list)

Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani
* Cabinet

Current cabinet

Legislature

* Council of Representatives

Speaker: Mahmoud al-Mashhadani

Judiciary

* Supreme Court

Administrative divisions

* Governorates (provinces)
* Districts
* Kurdistan Region

Kurdistan Regional Government
Kurdistan Parliament

Elections

* Democracy
* Political parties
* Electoral Commission
* Recent elections

* Parliamentary: 2018
* 2021
* 2025

* Gubernatorial: 2009
* 2013
* 2023

* 2005 constitutional referendum

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Fuad Hussein

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Iraq

* * *

* Nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

* * *

* Foreign aid to Iraq
* Iraq and the United Nations

Iraq portal

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

The government of Iraq is defined under the current Constitution, approved in 2005, as a democratic, parliamentary republic with Islam as the official state religion.[1][2] The government is composed of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, as well as numerous independent commissions.

## Federalism in Iraq

[edit]

Main article: Federalism in Iraq

### Federalism law

[edit]

Article 114 of the Constitution of Iraq provided that no new region may be created before the Iraqi National Assembly has passed a law that provides the procedures for forming the region. A law was passed in October 2006 after an agreement was reached with the Iraqi Accord Front to form the constitutional review committee and to defer implementation of the law for 18 months. Legislators from the Iraqi Accord Front, Sadrist Movement and Islamic Virtue Party all opposed the bill.[3]

#### Creating a new region

[edit]

Under the Federalism Law a region can be created out of one or more existing governorates or two or more existing regions. A governorate can also join an existing region to create a new region. There is no limit to the number of governorates that can form a region, unlike the Transitional Administrative Law of the Iraqi Interim Government which limited it to three.

A new region can be proposed by one third or more of the council members in each affected governorate plus 500 voters or by one tenth or more voters in each affected governorate. A referendum must then be held within three months, which requires a simple majority in favour to pass.

In the event of competing proposals, the multiple proposals are put to a ballot and the proposal with the most supporters is put to the referendum.

In the event of an affirmative referendum a Transitional Legislative Assembly is elected for one year, which has the task of writing a constitution for the Region, which is then put to a referendum requiring a simple majority to pass.

The President, Prime Minister and Ministers of the region are elected by simple majority, in contrast to the Iraqi National Assembly which requires two thirds support.

## Executive branch

[edit]

The executive branch is composed of the President and the Council of Ministers.[4]

### President

[edit]

Main article: President of Iraq

The President of the Republic is the head of state and "safeguards the commitment to the Constitution and the preservation of Iraq's independence, sovereignty, unity, the security of its territories in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution."[5] The President is elected by the Council of Representatives by a two-thirds majority,[6] and is limited to two four-year terms.[7] The President ratifies treaties and laws passed by the Council of Representatives, issues pardons on the recommendation of the Prime Minister, and performs the "duty of the Higher Command of the armed forces for ceremonial and honorary purposes."[6]

There is also a Vice President which assumes the office of the President in case of his absence or removal.[7]

### Council of Ministers

[edit]

Main articles: Prime Minister of Iraq and Council of Ministers of Iraq

Composition of the Iraqi Government as of September 2009

The Council of Ministers is composed of the Prime Minister as head of government and his cabinet. The President of Iraq names the nominee of the Council of Representatives bloc with the largest number to form the Cabinet.[8] The Prime Minister is the direct executive authority responsible for the general policy of the State and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, directs the Council of Ministers, and presides over its meetings and has the right to dismiss the Ministers on the consent of the Council of Representatives.[9]

The cabinet is responsible for overseeing their respective ministries, proposing laws, preparing the budget, negotiating and signing international agreements and treaties, and appointing undersecretaries, ambassadors, the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces and his assistants, Division Commanders or higher, the Director of the National Intelligence Service, and heads of security institutions.[10]

#### List of ministries

[edit]

* Ministry of Defense
* Ministry of Migration and Displaced
* Ministry of Electricity
* Ministry of Agriculture
* Ministry of Finance
* Ministry of Justice
* Ministry of Construction, Housing, Municipalities, and Public Works
* Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Antiquities
* Ministry of Communications
* Ministry of Education
* Ministry of Health
* Ministry of Environment
* Ministry of Industry and Minerals
* Ministry of Interior
* Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
* Ministry of Oil
* Ministry of Planning
* Ministry of Trade
* Ministry of Transportation
* Ministry of Water Resources
* Ministry of Youth and Sports
* Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

#### Dissolved or merged ministries

[edit]

* Ministry of Human Rights (dissolved in 2015)
* Ministry of Science and Technology (merged with Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in 2015)
* Ministry of Construction and Housing (merged with Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works in 2015)
* Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works (merged with Ministry of Construction and Housing in 2015)

## Legislative branch

[edit]

The legislative branch is composed of the Council of Representatives and a Federation Council.[11] As of August 2012, the Federation Council had not yet come into existence.[12]

### Council of Representatives

[edit]

Main article: Council of Representatives of Iraq

The Council of Representatives is the main elected body of Iraq. The Constitution defines the "number of members at a ratio of one representative per 100,000 Iraqi persons representing the entire Iraqi people."[13] The members are elected for terms of 4 years.[14]

The council elects the President of Iraq; approves the appointment of the members of the Federal Court of Cassation, the Chief Public Prosecutor, and the President of Judicial Oversight Commission on proposal by the Higher Juridical Council; and approves the appointment of the Army Chief of Staff, his assistants and those of the rank of division commanders and above, and the director of the intelligence service, on proposal by the Cabinet.[15]

### Federation Council

[edit]

Main article: Federation Council of Iraq

The Federation Council will be composed of representatives from the regions and the governorates that are not organized in a region. The council is to be regulated by law by the Council of Representatives.[16] As of November 2018, the Federation Council had not yet come into existence.[12]

## Judicial branch

[edit]

Main article: Judiciary of Iraq

The federal judiciary is composed of the Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq, the Court of Cassation, the Supreme Court, the Public Prosecution Department, the Judiciary Oversight Commission, and other federal courts that are regulated by law.[17] One such court is the Central Criminal Court.

### Supreme Judicial Council

[edit]

Main article: Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq

The Supreme Judicial Council manages and supervises the affairs of the federal judiciary.[18] It oversees the affairs of the various judicial committees,[19] nominates the Chief Justice and members of the Court of Cassation, the Chief Public Prosecutor, and the Chief Justice of the Judiciary Oversight Commission, and drafts the budget of the judiciary.[18] In 2013, the Council of Representatives passed the Iraqi Federal Court Act, which forbids the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from also being the head of the Judicial Council, and replaced him with the Chief Justice of the Court of Cassation.[20]

### Court of Cassation

[edit]

Main article: Court of Cassation of Iraq

According to the Judicial Authority Law of 1963, the Court of Cassation is the apex court of the judiciary. The Court of Cassation is the supreme judicial body for all civil courts. It is headquartered in Baghdad and consists of a president, a sufficient number of vice-presidents, permanent judges, not less than fifteen permanent judges, delegated judges or rapporteur judges as needed.[21]

### Supreme Court

[edit]

Main article: Supreme Court of Iraq

The Supreme Court is an independent judicial body that interprets the constitution and determines the constitutionality of laws and regulations. It settles disputes amongst or between the federal government and the regions and governorates, municipalities, and local administrations, and settles accusations directed against the President, the Prime Minister and the Ministers. It also ratifies the final results of the general elections for the Council of Representatives.[22] In November 2022, the president of the Supreme Judicial Council, Chief Justice Dr. Faiq Zaidan described the name “Federal Supreme Court” as a misnomer, and suggested that the name be changed to “Constitutional Court” befitting its authorities.[23]

### Central Criminal Court

[edit]

The Central Criminal Court of Iraq is the main criminal court of Iraq.[citation needed] The CCCI is based on an inquisitorial system and consists of two chambers: an investigative court, and a criminal court.[citation needed]

## Independent Commissions

[edit]

The Independent High Commission for Human Rights, the Independent High Electoral Commission, and the Commission of Integrity are independent commissions subject to monitoring by the Council of Representatives.[24] The Central Bank of Iraq, the Board of Supreme Audit, the Communications and Media Commission, and the Shiite Endowment Commission as well as the Sunni Endowment Commission are financially and administratively independent institutions attached to the Council of Ministers.[25] The Martyrs Foundation and the Political Prisoners Foundation are attached to the Council of Ministers as well.[26] The Federal Public Service Council regulates the affairs of the federal public service, including appointment and promotion.[27]

## See also

[edit]

* Iraq portal

* Politics of Iraq
* Regions of Iraq
* Governorates of Iraq
* Kingdom of Iraq under British Administration

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 1, Article 1
2. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 1, Article 2
3. ^ "Iraqi parliament approves federal law". Reuters. 2006-10-11. Retrieved 2008-04-18.[dead link]
4. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 63
5. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 67
6. ^ a b Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 70
7. ^ a b Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 72
8. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 76
9. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 78
10. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 80
11. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 1, Article 48.
12. ^ a b Chomani (13 August 2012). "Iraq's Missing Federation Council". Al-Akhbar. AFP. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2012. "Kobler listed his two other priorities as the selection of a new electoral commission to organize provincial elections planned for next year, and the creation of an upper chamber of parliament, known as the federation council, which is referred to in Iraq's constitution but has not yet been implemented."
13. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 1, Article 49
14. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 1, Article 56
15. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 1, Article 61
16. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 1, Article 65
17. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 3, Article 89
18. ^ a b Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 3, Article 91
19. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 3, Article 90
20. ^ Sadah, Ali Abel (18 February 2013). "Iraqi Judicial Reforms Include Removal of Chief Justice". Al-Monitor.
21. ^ "Judicial Authority Law No. 26 of 1963" (in Arabic).
22. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 3, Article 93
23. ^ "An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Faiq Zaydan, President of the Supreme Judicial Council in Iraq" (PDF). Baydar Center. p. 6.
24. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 102
25. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 103
26. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 104
27. ^ Constitution of Iraq, Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 107

## External links

[edit]

* Iraqi Government – Official website (in English and Arabic)
* Iraqi Government Official Spokesman (in English and Arabic)
* President of Iraq (in English, Arabic, and Kurdish)
* Cabinet of Iraq (in English and Arabic)
* Prime Minister of Iraq (in Arabic)
* Parliament of Iraq (Council of Representatives) (in English and Arabic) (Google-identified malware)
* Iraq Chief of State and Cabinet Members from the CIA

* v
* t
* e

Iraq topics

History

| Chronology|

* Ubaid period
* Hassuna culture
* Halaf culture
* Halaf-Ubaid Transitional period
* Samarra culture
* Uruk period
* Jemdet Nasr period
* Sumer
* Subartu
* Akkadian Empire
* Gutian dynasty
* Neo-Sumerian Empire
* Isin-Larsa period
* First Babylonian Empire
* Old Assyrian Period
* Middle Assyrian Empire
* Kassite dynasty of the Babylonian Empire
* Simurrum culture
* Babylonia
* Assyria
* Neo-Assyrian Empire
* Neo-Babylonian Empire
* Babylonian captivity
* Fall of Babylon
* Achaemenid Assyria
* Seleucid Babylonia
* Parthian Babylonia
* Sassanid Asorestan

|

638–1958|

* Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia
* Umayyad Caliphate
* Abbasid Caliphate
* Buyid dynasty
* Qara Qoyunlu
* Aq Qoyunlu
* Safavids
* Ottoman Iraq (incl. Mamluk dynasty)
* Mandate for Mesopotamia
* Mandatory Iraq
* Kingdom of Iraq
* Kings
* Arab Federation

Republic|

* 1958–1968
* 1968–2003
* 2003–2011
* 2011–present

* Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region (National Command)
* Saddam Hussein
* Iraqi–Kurdish conflict
* 1974–1975 Shatt al-Arab clashes
* 1977 Shia uprising in Iraq
* 1979–1980 Shia uprising in Iraq
* Weapons of mass destruction
* Iran–Iraq War
* Operation Opera
* Invasion of Kuwait
* Gulf War
* 1991 uprisings
* Sanctions
* Iraq War
* U.S. invasion
* Iraqi insurgency
* U.S. troop withdrawal
* Insurgency (2011–2013)
* War (2014–2017)
* Fall of Mosul
* Mosul liberation
* Insurgency
* 2019–2021 protests
* 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis

Geography

* Faw peninsula
* Upper Mesopotamia
* Lower Mesopotamia
* Borders
* Euphrates river
* Hamrin Mountains
* Iraqi Kurdistan
* Lakes
* Islands
* Mesopotamia
* Mesopotamian Marshes
* Persian Gulf
* Places
* Shatt al-Arab
* Syrian Desert
* Tigris river
* Umm Qasr
* Zagros Mountains
* Wildlife
* Sinjar Mountains

Politics

* Administrative divisions
* Constitution
* Council of Representatives (legislative)
* Democracy
* Elections
* Foreign aid
* Foreign relations
* Government
* Council of Ministers
* Presidency Council
* President
* List
* Prime Minister
* List
* Human rights
* in pre-Saddam Iraq
* in Saddam Hussein's Iraq
* in post-invasion Iraq
* in ISIL-controlled territory
* LGBT
* Freedom of religion
* Women
* Law
* Law enforcement
* Military
* Chief of the General Staff
* Political parties
* Judiciary
* Wars and conflicts

Economy

* Banks
* Central Bank
* Companies
* Corruption
* Dinar (currency)
* Infrastructure
* Foreign Investment
* Oil Industry
* Oil reserves
* Reconstruction
* Stock Exchange
* Telecommunications
* Transportation
* Airlines
* Railways
* Tourism

Society

| Demographics|

* Iraqis
* Languages
* Mesopotamian Arabic
* Aramaic
* Kurdish
* Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman dialects
* Persian
* Minorities
* Armenians
* Assyrians
* Circassians
* Kurds
* Mandaeans
* Marsh Arabs
* Persians
* Solluba
* Iraqi Turkmen/Turkoman
* Jews
* Religion
* Secularism
* Islam
* Christianity
* Mandaeism
* Yazidis
* Irreligion

|

General|

* Art
* Cinema
* Cuisine
* Culture
* Literature
* Education
* Health
* Media
* Television
* Music
* Smoking
* Sports
* Squatting
* Public holidays
* Mesopotamian spring festival (Akitu)
* Mandaean New Year

* Category
* Portal
* WikiProject
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Governments of Asia

Sovereign states|

* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* Cyprus
* Egypt
* Georgia
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* North Korea
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Russia
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste (East Timor)
* Turkey
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Northern Cyprus
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan

Dependencies and
other territories|

* British Indian Ocean Territory
* Christmas Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* Hong Kong
* Macau

* Category
* Asia portal

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template