ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned a hearing arguing against the constitutionality of the Kurdistan Region parliament’s decision to extend its term by an additional year, according to a legal advisor of the Kurdish legislative body.
Members of the Kurdistan Region’s parliament in October voted by a majority to extend the current four-year term of the legislature by one year, after disagreements between the blocs over the current elections law resulted in preventing the carrying out of new elections.
“The court has adjourned the session on the extension of the Kurdistan Region parliament’s term to May 3, 2023, and a final ruling is set to be delivered in the next session,” Wriya Saadi, Kurdistan Region parliament’s legal advisor, told Rudaw on Wednesday.
This is the fourth time the hearing has been adjourned since December.
The case was filed against Speaker of the Kurdistan Region’s parliament, Rewaz Fayaq, by New Generation Movement (NGM) head Shaswar Abulwahid, NGM MP in the Iraqi parliament Srwa Abdulwahid, NGM MP in the Kurdish parliament Kawa Abdulqadir, and former Speaker of the Kurdish Parliament Yousif Mohammed.
The plaintiffs call for annulling the extension, saying that the decision contradicts articles 5 and 20 of the Iraqi constitution – which emphasize the right of the Iraqi people to vote and participate in the democratic process- as well as article 51 of the Kurdistan Region parliament’s election law –which stipulates that a parliament term must not exceed for years-.
Rebwar Babkayi, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) MP, on Wednesday claimed that the legislature extended its term based on political and institutional necessity, and in order to prevent the Kurdistan Region from “falling into a legal vacuum.”
The Kurdistan Region’s Presidency announced on Sunday that the Region’s parliamentary elections will be held on November 18
A new parliamentary election was set to be held in October, but disagreements between Kurdish political parties over the current elections law and the electoral commission prevented the process from being conducted on its scheduled time.
Members of the Kurdistan Region’s parliament in October voted by a majority to extend the current four-year term of the legislature by one year, after disagreements between the blocs over the current elections law resulted in preventing the carrying out of new elections.
“The court has adjourned the session on the extension of the Kurdistan Region parliament’s term to May 3, 2023, and a final ruling is set to be delivered in the next session,” Wriya Saadi, Kurdistan Region parliament’s legal advisor, told Rudaw on Wednesday.
This is the fourth time the hearing has been adjourned since December.
The case was filed against Speaker of the Kurdistan Region’s parliament, Rewaz Fayaq, by New Generation Movement (NGM) head Shaswar Abulwahid, NGM MP in the Iraqi parliament Srwa Abdulwahid, NGM MP in the Kurdish parliament Kawa Abdulqadir, and former Speaker of the Kurdish Parliament Yousif Mohammed.
The plaintiffs call for annulling the extension, saying that the decision contradicts articles 5 and 20 of the Iraqi constitution – which emphasize the right of the Iraqi people to vote and participate in the democratic process- as well as article 51 of the Kurdistan Region parliament’s election law –which stipulates that a parliament term must not exceed for years-.
Rebwar Babkayi, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) MP, on Wednesday claimed that the legislature extended its term based on political and institutional necessity, and in order to prevent the Kurdistan Region from “falling into a legal vacuum.”
The Kurdistan Region’s Presidency announced on Sunday that the Region’s parliamentary elections will be held on November 18
A new parliamentary election was set to be held in October, but disagreements between Kurdish political parties over the current elections law and the electoral commission prevented the process from being conducted on its scheduled time.
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