In its upcoming session, Iraq’s parliament session will vote on two important laws: the “Red Card” law and the “Industrial Investment” law. An Iraqi lawmaker confirmed this update to Shafaq News on Wednesday. However, the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Authority Law will be postponed for now.
Independent MP Hussein al-Saabri said the chamber will also discuss several economic and service-related bills. These legislations directly affect the daily lives of Iraqi citizens. Additionally, the parliament will conduct a second reading of other bills that require further debate before approval.
Earlier, First Deputy Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi revealed that parliamentary committees approved a draft law to compensate Red Card holders. This law also annuls decisions made by the dissolved Revolutionary Command Council.
Red Card holders are Iraqis who faced punishments and lost civil rights during the Baath government’s rule from 1994 to 2000. These citizens were penalized for opposing the regime or refusing to join certain military activities.
Meanwhile, Hussein Al-Battat from the State of Law bloc confirmed that parliament will not vote on the PMF Authority Law during this Iraq’s parliament session. He said foreign powers are pressuring the government to block the legislation.
Al-Battat urged parliament members to push the government to resend the law for a vote before the legislative term ends. He stressed that Iraq must resist both internal and external pressures to ensure lawmakers give the bill proper attention.
The draft PMF law aims to regulate the force by standardizing ranks and defining its ties to the Defense and Finance Ministries. It also seeks to secure funding and require military experience for senior leadership roles. While most Shiite factions support the bill, many Kurdish and Sunni groups oppose key parts.
The Popular Mobilization Forces formed in 2014 after a religious decree from Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. This happened following Mosul’s fall to ISIS. The PMF united thousands of volunteers under a government-approved framework.
As Iraq’s parliament session tackles these crucial laws, citizens await decisions that could reshape economic policies and the country’s security forces.
