A Constitutional and Legal Reading into the Proposals for Amending the Iraqi Constitution, and Their Potential Impacts on the Structure of the Political System, Local Administration Legislation, and National Legislative Frameworks.
Baghdad – A Reading in Public and Constitutional Law
The legislative and political arena in Iraq has witnessed a remarkable movement following the announcement by MP Hiam Al-Yasiri on Friday (August 7, 2026), that the number of supporters for the campaign to amend the Iraqi constitution has exceeded the 70,000 electronic participants mark. This movement, spearheaded by the youth and the central and southern provinces, reflects a popular drive to bring about radical changes in the structure of the political system, compelling legal circles to study the repercussions of these proposals on the country's legislative structure.
Proposed Constitutional Amendments According to the issued statement, the campaign focuses on demanding the amendment of governing constitutional articles, revolving around the following points:
Changing the Form of the Political System: Transitioning from the current parliamentary system to a (semi-presidential) system, where the President of the Republic is directly elected by the people with broad executive powers, while retaining an elected parliament to hold the government (the Prime Minister and Ministers) accountable.
Restructuring Local Administration: Moving towards abolishing provincial councils and adopting a mechanism for the direct election of governors by the citizens.
Legal Criminalization of Quotas (Muhasasa): Banning partisan and political quotas in all state institutions and criminalizing the practice legislatively.
Amending the Quota System: Abolishing or reducing the women's quota to 10% or less, in response to demands to address the issue of wasted electoral votes.
Legal Dimensions and Legislative Repercussions Deconstructing these proposals requires a deep dive into public and constitutional law research, particularly when analyzing prevailing constitutional customs and the direct impact of these amendments on national legislative frameworks. Transitioning to a semi-presidential system does not merely represent a formal amendment; rather, it requires a comprehensive re-engineering of state authority parameters and the distribution of powers between### Summary and Analysis: The National Campaign to Amend the Iraqi Constitution
Prominent Developments and Interactions of the Campaign:
Size of Mass Participation: The number of signatories has exceeded 70,000 individuals electronically, with a clear lead from the central and southern provinces (Baghdad, Basra, Najaf, Dhi Qar, Babylon, Karbala, Al-Qadisiyyah, and Wasit).
Dominant Age Group: The new generation of youth (born in the late nineties and early two-thousands) is leading the scene, reflecting a clear desire to address failures related to employment opportunities and services linked to the political structure.
Signature Collection Mechanisms: The emergence of popular, tribal, and academic demands to provide paper signatures alongside the electronic link to expand the participation base and make it easier for the general public.
Dimensions of the Proposed Constitutional Amendments (A Reading within the Framework of Public Law): The proposals contained in the statement represent a radical shift in the form of the state and the political system, intersecting directly with constitutional law studies and the analysis of institutional powers:
Transition to a Semi-Presidential System: The statement proposes directly electing the President of the Republic by the people and granting them broad powers, while keeping a parliament that elects and holds the Prime Minister accountable. This amendment radically changes current constitutional customs and the nature of the constitutional judiciary's interpretation of the limits of executive power.
Abolition of Provincial Councils: Replacing them with the direct election of governors would reshape the legal framework for local administration and end a form of administrative decentralization that has sparked widespread controversy.
Criminalization of Quotas (Muhasasa): This demand requires drafting strict constitutional and legal texts that prevent the customary division of positions and impose alternative standards for assuming public office.
Amending the Women's Quota: The proposal to abolish or reduce it to 10% or less directly affects Article (49/Fourth) of the effective constitution, which stipulates a representation of no less than 25%. This raises an intense debate over balancing the guarantee of representing minorities and specific groups with minimizing the chances of wasting voters' votes.
How do you evaluate the possibility of passing these fundamental amendments given the complex constitutional mechanisms stipulated in Article 142 of the effective Iraqi Constitution?
