BAGHDAD, Dec 19 (NNN-NINA) – Iraq’s parliament decided to adjourn its session until next Monday, after it passed part of the draft election law.
In a televised press conference, Parliament Speaker, Mohammed al-Halbousi, announced the adjournment after the majority of 207 lawmakers at the session passed the first 14 articles out of 50 of the draft law.
However, the lawmakers failed to vote on articles 15 and 16. Article 15 is related to the number of electoral constituencies, while article 16 is in regard to the quota for women in the next parliament.
Kurdish lawmakers suggested to postpone the vote on the disputed articles and continue voting on other articles, but the parliamentary bloc, supported by Shiite leader, Moqtada al-Sadr, insisted on voting on the disputed articles.
The political row pushed the Kurdish and some other lawmakers to walk out, which led to the breaking of the quorum for the session.
The walkout pushed al-Halbousi to decide that “next Monday evening would be a deadline for voting on the election law” to give the blocs enough time for further negotiations.
On Oct 31, Iraqi President, Barham Salih, said, the presidency would issue a new draft election law that would replace the current controversial law and bring fairer elections in the interests of the Iraqi people.
Changing the election law and the Independent High Electoral Commission were parts of the demands of the ongoing protests in Iraq.– NNN-NINA