Iraq's Parliamentary leaders clash over salaries amid legislative gridlock

Shafaq News

18-03-2025

Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, Iraq's First Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mohsen Al-Mandalawi dismissed remarks by Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, who questioned the legitimacy of lawmakers receiving salaries despite the ongoing suspension of parliamentary sessions.
Al-Mashhadani, in a televised interview on Monday, criticized the continued legislative standstill, saying, 'A month has passed without activity—how are salaries paid to those not working?' He asked, revealing that he planned to seek guidance from Sunni and Shia religious authorities on the matter and consult political bloc leaders and parliamentary committee heads.
In response, Al-Mandalawi defended Parliament's record, saying it had been highly active before the year's end, passing key legislation including the three-year budget, Public Sector Employment Framework, Disability Care Law, National Security Agency legislation, Election Commission Law, and anti-prostitution measures. He also highlighted lawmakers' oversight role, noting that parliamentary committees had summoned ministers and senior officials for questioning.
Al-Mandalawi called for an 'urgent meeting of the parliamentary presidency, political bloc leaders, and committee heads' to realign legislative priorities, revive parliamentary functions, and address pressing national and regional issues.
Independent lawmaker Hussein Al-Sabri told Shafaq News on Sunday that there was growing support for dissolving Parliament and holding early elections if the deadlock persisted. 'The failure to reach a quorum has caused a crisis, stalling Parliament's legislative and oversight roles,' he said.
'We urged the speaker to pursue early elections instead of allowing continued inaction,' Al-Sabri added, warning that lawmakers could gather signatures to dissolve Parliament if the impasse remained.
Parliament has faced repeated disruptions due to the failure to meet quorum requirements despite scheduled sessions. The next legislative elections are scheduled for October.