MONGABAY.COM
Mongabay.com seeks to raise interest in and appreciation of wild lands and wildlife, while examining the impact of emerging trends in climate, technology, economics, and finance on conservation and development (more)
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
|
|
Iraq
Index
Although the 1970 Constitution provides for a parliament
called the National Assembly, this body was not instituted until
1980. The RCC first circulated a draft law creating the assembly
in December 1979; after some changes this was promulgated as law
the following March. According to the law, the National Assembly
consists of 250 members elected by secret ballot every four
years. All Iraqi citizens over eighteen are eligible to vote for
assembly candidates. The country is divided into 250 electoral
districts, each with an approximate population of 250,000. One
representative is elected to the assembly from each of these
constituencies. The National Assembly law also stipulates,
however, that there is to be a single electoral list.
Furthermore, the qualifications of all candidates for the
assembly must be reviewed and be approved by a governmentappointed election commission. In practice, these provisions have
enabled the Baath Party to control the National Assembly.
To qualify as a candidate for National Assembly elections,
individuals need to meet certain conditions. For example,
prospective candidates must be at least twenty-five years of age,
must be Iraqi by birth, must not be married to foreigners, and
must have Iraqi fathers. Having a non-Iraqi mother is grounds for
disqualification except in those cases where the mother is of
Arab origins and from another Arab country. In addition, persons
who were subject to property expropriation under the land reform
or nationalization laws are not eligible candidates. Furthermore,
all aspiring candidates are required to demonstrate to the
satisfaction of the election commission that they believe in the
principles of the 1968 Baath Revolution, that is, in the Baath
Party's objectives.
The first parliamentary elections since Iraq became a
republic in 1958 were held in June 1980, and the First National
Assembly convened at the end of that month. Baath Party
candidates won 75 percent, or 187, of the 250 seats. The
remaining 25 percent were won by parties allied with the Baath
and by independent parties. Elections for the Second National
Assembly were held in October 1984. Approximately 7,171,000 votes
were cast in that election, and the Baath won 73 percent (183) of
the seats. Thirty-three women were elected to the assembly.
Saadun Hammadi was elected chairman of the assembly, and two
years later he was made a member of the RCC.
Since 1980 the National Assembly generally has held two
sessions per year in accordance with Article 48 of the
Constitution. The first session is held in April and May, and the
second session in November and December. During the few weeks
each year that the National Assembly is in session, it carries
out its legislative duties in tandem with the RCC. The assembly's
primary function is to ratify or reject draft legislation
proposed by the RCC. In addition, it has limited authority to
enact laws proposed by a minimum of one-fourth of its membership,
to ratify the government's budget and international treaties, and
to debate domestic and international policy. It also has
authority to supervise state agencies and to question cabinet
ministers. Although the assembly has served as a forum for
limited public discussion of issues, its actual powers were
restricted and ultimate decision-making authority pertaining to
legislation continued to reside with the RCC in 1988.
Data as of May 1988
|
|