Extension of provincial councils' work

Abstract

At the end of each parliamentary session of the provincial councils in Iraq, calls for postponing the elections and extending the work of those councils escalate. Thus, the political parties differ in alternative solutions to postponement, some call for an extension while others call for the dissolution of those councils due to the expiry of the councils’ work period. The Provincial and District Council Elections Law No. (12) in 2018 in force has indicated in (Article 48) that the electoral cycle for the Provincial and Judicial Council is four calendar years starting with its first session, however, Article (6 Second) of the above law indicated that the possibility of postponing the elections is within the powers of the Council of Ministers in consultation with the Independent High Electoral Commission. This article did not specify the duration of the postponement and left it to the general public. Hence, we find that the calls of the members of the Independent High Electoral Commission, as well as the calls of members of the House of Representatives for the possibility of extending the work of the provincial councils, are completely dependent on the text of Law No. (12) and not on a constitutional text as in the elections of the House of Representatives.