Parliament holds second reading of PMF law amid Sunni, Kurdish walkout

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s parliament on Wednesday completed the second reading of a new draft law on the Popular Mobilization Forces, despite a walkout by most Sunni and Kurdish lawmakers who objected to the bill being added to the session’s agenda without prior consensus.

Deputy Speaker Mohsen Al-Mandalawi, who chaired the session, said the reading moved forward and the bill was now with the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee for final revisions. “We completed the second reading of the draft law on the Popular Mobilization Forces during today’s session and directed the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee to take into account the notes and opinions of the MPs, in order to finalize the necessary amendments and present the final version to the parliament presidency for inclusion in upcoming sessions agendas for a vote,” he said in a statement.

Al-Mandalawi said the new draft would replace the 2016 law currently regulating the PMF and is intended to better define the structure, authorities, and affiliated entities of the force. “It also contributes to strengthening the combat capabilities of the fighters, creating new formations to enhance this security institution, and granting the PMF head the necessary authorities to implement the law’s objectives,” he said.

Although the reading was not listed on Wednesday’s official agenda, Shia political blocs pushed to include it, drawing immediate objections from Kurdish and Sunni representatives. Many of them walked out in protest before the reading began.

Shia  lawmaker Yasser Al-Husseini shared video from the session floor, criticizing the decision by Kurdish and Sunni lawmakers to withdraw in response to the move.

The Taqaddum parliamentary bloc, led by former Speaker Mohammed Al-Halbousi, issued a statement condemning the way the session was managed. “Taqaddum rejects the manner in which sessions are managed, the non-adherence to the agenda, and the insertion of new items on the same day without political consensus or prior discussion in relevant committees,” the statement read. The bloc said it would boycott future sessions in protest.

The PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi, was formed in 2014 in response to the rise of the Islamic State and operates under the prime minister’s command. However, it includes factions with close ties to Iran and varying degrees of independence from state control.