Rashid: Iraq’s constitution a ‘national turning point’ 20 years on

BAGHDAD — President Abdul Latif Rashid issued a statement on the 20th anniversary of Iraq’s constitutional referendum on Wednesday, calling it “a national turning point” and urging political leaders to uphold the document’s principles.

In a statement released by the presidency, he said October 15, 2005, “marked a national turning point in the process of building the modern Iraqi state,” describing the constitution as a product of “a free and responsible national choice and a broad societal and political consensus.”

“The will of the Iraqi people proved stronger than the challenges,” the statement read, adding that the constitution remains “one of the most advanced” in the region.

Statement from President Abdul Latif Rashid’s media office:

On October 15, 2005, our people freely voiced their decision in a historic public referendum that approved the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq. This day marked a national turning point in the process of building the modern Iraqi state and its transition from a centralized totalitarian regime to a parliamentary, federal, and democratic system that reflects the will of the people and the principle of their sovereignty over their land and nation.

The constitution was the result of a free and responsible national choice and a broad societal and political consensus that brought together all components of the Iraqi people—Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, Christians, and others—to serve as the social and political contract that organizes public life, guarantees rights and duties, and reinforces the principle of partnership in managing the state and protecting its unity.

On this national occasion, the Presidency of the Republic affirms that Iraqis have no option but the constitutional path in addressing disputes and resolving issues. Adhering to the constitution and applying its provisions in letter and spirit is the only way to safeguard the democratic system and maintain the unity of the country.

We also affirm that the constitutional transformation Iraq witnessed twenty years ago represented a fundamental shift from a centralized totalitarian system that monopolized state decisions to a federal democratic system based on power distribution, guaranteed participation, and respect for diversity and pluralism within the framework of national unity.

On the twentieth anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq, the Presidency of the Republic calls on the Council of Representatives to approve the draft laws submitted to the esteemed council, such as the Federal Court Law, the High Commission for Women’s Empowerment Law, the Supreme Water Council Law, the First Amendment to the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law, the Iraq Creativity Award Law, the Residential Land Parceling Law, the Federation Council Law, and the Law on Recovering Proceeds of Corruption. This also includes several draft laws to repeal resolutions issued by the dissolved Revolutionary Command Council. The Presidency also calls on political forces and the legislative and executive authorities to accelerate the completion of legislation stipulated in the constitution, implement Article 140, and pass the Oil and Gas Law in a way that ensures constitutional justice and national stability.

To the honorable people of Iraq,

Our choice to build a constitutional democratic system was not an easy one after decades of totalitarian rule, but the will of the Iraqi people proved stronger than the challenges and continues to move steadily toward consolidating a state of institutions and law.

The Constitution of the Republic of Iraq is one of the most advanced constitutions, aligned with the principles of human rights and democracy, and represents a pioneering experience in the region.

In conclusion, we call for unity of purpose and solidarity among all Iraqis—from the south to the Kurdistan Region, and from the east to the west—so that Iraq remains a free and united homeland for all its people.