Iraq’s parliament endorses crucial bill boosting provincial powers

BAGHDAD, Iraq—Iraqi parliament endorsed a bill on Tuesday that will effectively empower the provincial capitals in the country in their relation to the central government in Baghdad and gives them lawful means to create semi-independent regions with considerable political and administrative powers. 

The decision is of particular importance for the Sunni population of Iraq who have long sought their own autonomous region similar to the Kurdish regional administration in the north of the country. 

“These are the first steps towards confederation,” said Arafat Karim, a Kurdish lawmaker about the bill. “It is indeed in the best interest of the Kurds. Now is the time for a dialogue with the central government about the post-federal system which is confederation in legal terms,” Karim said. 

The new bill will pave the way for many provinces to establish their own autonomous regions. Although primarily the Sunni population in the central and northern parts of the country have shown strong support for an autonomous region, the bill will be hailed even among the Shiites in southern province of Basra. Influential voices in the city have in the past pushed for a referendum to decide the future of the province. 

Basra, Iraq’s second largest city is also seen as the country’s financial capital, which by some estimates provides Iraq with 90 percent of its budget.

The city’s former governor, Wael Abdul Latif, who is campaigning for the referendum, has announced they have now sufficient signatures to hold the referendum.  

Legally, 10 percent of the population in the province must sign up for the Iraqi electoral commissioner to allow a referendum.

“We can see this bill as a great achievement,” said Khalid Mafraji, a Sunni lawmaker. “We will work closely with all the provinces that want to build a federal region,” he said. 

According to the constitution, any three provinces can build a federal region with their own monetary and administrative systems.