Iraqi parliament once again delays vote on controversial bills following Sunni protest

BAGHDAD—The Iraqi parliament postponed votes on several key bills on Sunday, including property restitution draft laws, personal status law amendments, and a general amnesty proposal, each reflecting major demands from Iraq’s Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish political factions.

The session, originally intended to address these highly anticipated bills, was interrupted after Sunni representatives walked out in protest over the property law, which led to the vote postponement. Iraq’s parliament media department confirmed the delayed votes without providing new dates.

One postponed bill, the Draft Law for Returning Properties to Their Owners Affected by Certain Decisions of the Dissolved Revolutionary Command Council, seeks to reverse Baath-era confiscations. Between 1975 and 1979, the Revolutionary Command Council seized approximately 32,000 acres of agricultural land in Kirkuk and reallocated it to Arab settlers. Kurdish lawmakers have advocated for the bill, which had its first and second readings in April, to restore these lands to their original Kurdish owners. The vote was previously scheduled but was removed from the agenda in May without explanation.

Proposed amendments to Iraq’s Personal Status Law, introduced on Aug. 4, have sparked protests across Iraq, with a second reading on Sept. 16. The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court recently endorsed the amendments, stating they align with the constitution. These amendments would allow citizens to choose between religious or civil authorities for issues related to inheritance, divorce, and child custody. Critics warn the changes could weaken legal protections for women and reduce the minimum marriage age of 18 for Muslim girls, which is currently protected under Iraq’s 1959 law.

The General Amnesty Law, another bill delayed on Sunday, involves amendments to the 2016 Pardon Law and is backed by Sunni leaders. Sunni representatives argue that many individuals were wrongfully detained on terrorism charges following ISIS’s 2014 incursion into Sunni-majority areas. The general amnesty law remains a significant demand of Sunni political factions under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s administration, but Shia factions have resisted the proposal, fearing it could lead to the release of individuals linked to terrorism.