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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid on Monday formally appointed Judge Munther Ibrahim Hussein as the new head of Iraq's highest judicial authority, the Federal Supreme Court. The appointment comes following the retirement of former Chief Justice Jassim al-Umairi, whose resignation was approved by Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council a day earlier.
Citing a source within the presidency, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that President Rashid 'issued a presidential decree' appointing Judge Hussein to the top judicial post.
Judge Hussein previously served as deputy head of the Federal Court of Cassation and was also a reserve member of the Federal Supreme Court. His elevation comes amid a critical transitional period for Iraq's judiciary.
Former Chief Justice Umairi's resignation - officially attributed to "health reasons" - followed a wave of resignations from within the Federal Supreme Court. In mid-June, six out of nine permanent members and three reserve members of the court stepped down, reportedly in direct protest against Umairi's leadership.
Speaking to Rudaw on condition of anonymity, one of the resigned judges stated in mid-June, 'The behavior of the court president [Umairi] is unacceptable to us, and we are tired of dealing with his working manners.'
Importantly, the resignations occurred ahead of a highly anticipated legal session concerning the Kurdistan Region. Since early June, public servants in the Region have been pressing the court to issue an injunction that would compel the federal government to resume salary disbursements, which have been frozen since late May.
Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated when the federal finance ministry halted all budget transfers to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), including the salaries of over 1.2 million public employees. The ministry claimed the move was due to the KRG exceeding its 12.67 percent share of the 2025 federal budget.
Kurdish political parties have widely condemned the suspension, labeling it unconstitutional and politically motivated.
President Rashid's swift approval of Judge Hussein's appointment may be seen as an effort to stabilize the Federal Supreme Court amid ongoing legal and constitutional disputes, including the urgent matter of public servant salaries in the Kurdistan Region.
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