Legislative Council of the Autonomous Kurdistan Region

In a unilateral move on March 11, 1974, just before the 4-year deadline outlined in the March 11, 1970 Accord between the Iraqi government and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) would lapse, the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) amended the interim constitution of Iraq to provide for autonomy for the Kurdistan Region and issued the Law of Autonomy for the Kurdistan Region. This legislation made mention of an 'elected legislative council'. A few days later a new law was issued, the Law of the Legislative Council of the Kurdistan Region, which instead outlined that the region would have a 'nominated legislative council' during its initial phase.

[https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/llglrd/2018299338/2018299338.pdf Iraq: Legal History And Traditions. The Law Library of Congress, Global Legal Research Directorate]. June 2004Ofra Bengio. [https://books.google.com/books?id=xhonDwAAQBAJ Saddam's Word: Political Discourse in Iraq]. Oxford University Press, 2002. p. 115Charles Tripp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=WR-Cnw1UCJEC A History of Iraq]. Cambridge University Press, 2002. p. 211 The KDP opposed this move, and argued that the launch of the Legislative Council should have been postponed until a census of the Kurdish populations in the disputed areas of Kirkuk, Sinjar and Khanaqin would be held.Joseph Kostiner. [https://books.google.com/books?id=3ctDAAAAQBAJConflict and Cooperation in the Gulf Region]. Springer Science & Business Media, 2009. p. 39Alexis Heraclides. [https://books.google.com/books?id=uX8sBgAAQBAJ The Self-determination of Minorities in International Politics]. Routledge, 2012. p. 135 Fighting between the KDP and the Iraqi government resumed in March 1974.

The legislation outlined that the Legislative Council would elected an Executive Council for the autonomous region, albeit the Executive Council president would be appointed by the President of Iraq. The President of Iraq would also have the power to dismiss the Legislative and Executive Councils.New York Times. [https://www.nytimes.com/1974/03/12/archives/limited-local-autonomy-granted-to-kurds-in-iraq.html Limited Local Autonomy Granted to Kurds in Iraq] Until 1978 the members of the Legislative Council would be nominated by the RCC.Aram Rafaat. [https://books.google.com/books?id=O35aDwAAQBAJ Kurdistan in Iraq: The Evolution of a Quasi-State]. Routledge, 2018 Appointments of members of the inaugural Legislative Council occurred in August 1974, with members of the dissident KDP faction of {{ill|Aziz Aqrawi|de}} among the nominees.Marion Farouk-Sluglett, Peter Sluglett. [https://books.google.com/books?id=XOGgAAAAMAAJ Iraq Since 1958: From Revolution to Dictatorship]. Bloomsbury Academic, 1990. p. 175

The first session of the Legislative Council was held in the building of the Erbil Preparatory School for Boys on October 5, 1974.Richard Sim. [https://books.google.com/books?id=X0npAAAAMAAJ Kurdistan: The Search for Recognition]. Institute for the Study of Conflict, 1980. p. 12Oles M. Smolansky, Bettie Moretz Smolansky. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bMRoAAAAMAAJ The USSR and Iraq: The Soviet Quest for Influence]. Duke University Press, 1991. p. 90 Dissident KDP leader Hashim Aqrawi and Legislative Council member, had been appointed as the first President of the Executive Council.[https://books.google.com/books?id=NHCQBAFMwawC Who's Who in the Arab World 2007-2008]. Publitec Publications, Walter de Gruyter, 2011. pp. 112, 640 {{ill|Babakr Mahmud al-Rasul|ar|بابكر محمود رسول البشدري}}, a conservative chieftain, served as the Legislative Council speaker for the first period.Al-Ittihad. [https://www.alittihad.ae/article/38749/2005/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%83%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D9%88%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%8A%D9%85%D9%83%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%84%D9%87%D8%A7 القيادي الكردي بابكر رسول: الخلافات بين القوميتين العربية والكردية يمكن حلها] Ihsan Haibatullah Al-Mufti was the deputy speaker and Ismail Rasul Ahmed the secretary of the Legislative Council. At night Peshmerga forces shot mortar shells at the Hawraman Hotel, where Legislative Council members and journalists covering the event where staying.Mohiadin Mohammad Yonis. [https://www.algardenia.com/maqalat/45853-2020-09-01-19-39-10.html أحداث ساخنة في الصراع بين السلطة في العراق والحركة الكردية ١٩٦٨ – ١٩٧٥]. Al-Gardenia Magazine

File:Legislative Council KAR Presidium 1978.jpgThe second period of the Legislative Council began in 1978, again the members were appointed from Baghdad. The size of the assembly was decreased to 50 members. Muhammed Ali Amin served as Speaker during this period, Shaker Fattah Ahmed as Deputy Speaker and Khalil Hamad Mustafa as Secretary of the Legislative Council.

In mid-December 1979 drafts for new legislations for elections for Iraqi National Assembly and Kurdistan Legislative Council were circulated.Abida Samiuddin. (1982). [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4282911 The Beginning of Parliamentary Democracy in Iraq: A Case Study]. Middle Eastern Studies, 18(4), 445–448 On January 1, 1980, the RCC declared that the powers of the president of the Executive Council and the speaker of the Legislative Council would be significantly increased.Edmund Ghareeb. [https://books.google.com/books?id=CVNtAAAAMAAJ The Kurdish Question in Iraq]. Syracuse University Press, 1981. p. 191 Subsequently, new legislation outlining the regulations for direct election for the Legislative Council was passed.[https://www.google.at/books/edition/%D9%85%D8%AC%D9%84%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AB_%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%AA/lh-K8pkppgIC ‫مجلة البحوث والدراسات العربية‬‎, Vol 15]. Maʻhad al-Buḥūth wa-al-Dirāsāt al-ʻArabīyah., 1988. p. 102 The new electoral legislations were announced on March 16, 1980. The first elections to the Legislative Council of the Kurdistan Region was held in September 1980.[https://books.google.com/books?id=pP315Mw3S9EC The Middle East and North Africa 2004]. Psychology Press, 2003. p. 450 Per official data some 701,000 voters cast their ballots. 194 candidates competed for 50 posts in the assembly.[https://books.google.com/books?id=I3NtAAAAMAAJ Sources of Domestic and Foreign Policy in Iraq]. American Foreign Policy Institute, 1986. p. 19 The majority of the elected members were feudal notables or clerics with ties to the Iraqi government.[https://books.google.com/books?id=WM65AAAAIAAJ Near East/North Africa Report, Issue 2219]. Foreign Broadcast Information Service, Joint Publications Research Service, 1980. p. 20Jalil Jalil. [https://www.google.at/books/edition/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A9_%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%83%D8%B1%D8%AF%D9%8A%D8%A9_%D9%81%D9%8A_%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9/FJf_CgAAQBAJ ‫الحركة الكردية في العصر الحديث‬‎]. Al Manhal, 2013. p. 479

The second election to the Legislative Council was held on August 6, 1983, with the assembly expanded to 57 members.Arthur Sparrow Banks (ed.). [https://books.google.com/books?id=NnwmoA04T98C Political handbook of the world: 1987 : governments and intergovernmental organizations as of March 15, 1987 : (with major political developments noted through June 30, 1987)]. CSA Publications, 1987. p. 278 Two women were elected to the Legislative Council.

Elections were held on August 13, 1986.[https://books.google.com/books?id=jcQ9cGTimAMC The Middle East and North Africa 1995]. Europa Publications, 1995. p. 501 Compared with the previous elections the Baghdad authorities had a much more strict scrutiny of the pre-selection of candidates, in the context of the ongoing war with Iran. The electoral legislation was amended, with a clause demanding that candidates had to be loyal to Ba'athist principles and aims. 146 candidates contested 50 posts in the Legislative Council.

Twenty of the elected members were re-elected incumbents. Three office holders of the outgoing assembly were re-elected, the speaker {{ill|Ahmad Abdulqader Al-Naqshbandi|de|Ahmad an-Naqschbandi}}, the deputy speaker Hikmat Haji Salim Al-Atrushi and the secretary Jamal Jalal. Most of the members of the assembly were government officials, generally between the ages of 30 and 40. The newly elected assembly had several tribal leaders with front-line experiences as commanders of the National Defense Forces.David Jordan. [https://books.google.com/books?id=O6FNEAAAQBAJ State and Sufism in Iraq: Building a “Moderate Islam” Under Saddam Husayn]. Routledge, 2021. p. 162 The number of female legislators increased to four. There was not a single university graduate among the elected members. The incumbent Executive Council president {{ill|Yahya Al-Jaf|de|Yahya al-Dschaf}} was removed from his post after the election, with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein appointing {{ill|Sirwan Abdullah Hussein Al-Jaf|de|Sirwan Abdullah Hussein}} as the new Executive Council President.

President Saddam Hussein attended the inaugural session of the newly elected Legislative Council in person.Itamar Rabinovich, Haim Shaked. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bekED50mOJAC Middle East Contemporary Survey, Volume X, 1986]. The Moshe Dayan Center, 1988. p. 382 In his speech he affirmed commitment to Kurdish autonomy and stated that Erbil would be designated as the summer capital of Iraq.

The last elections for the Legislative Council were held on September 9, 1989. After the election {{ill|Bahauddin Ahmed Faraj|de|Baha ad-Din Ahmad Faradsch}} became the new speaker of the Legislative Council.[https://books.google.com/books?id=27X9PAAACAAJ Middle East Contemporary Survey, Vol. XIII 1989]. Avalon Publishing, 1991. p. 387 Following the 1991 Gulf War, after which the Iraqi government lost control over the Kurdistan Region, the Legislative Council was based in Baghdad.Al-Bayan. [https://www.albayan.ae/one-world/2001-09-19-1.1210771 بيان الاربعاء ـ شمال العراق من الحكم الذاتي إلى الإدارة المشتركة، سيناريوهان يحددان مستقبل العلاقات بين بغداد والأكراد] The duration of the legislative period was extended to 1996.

In 1996 a new Baghdad-based Legislative Council was appointed. In 2000, the term of the Legislative Council was extended by another 3 years. Bahauddin Ahmed Faraj retained the post of Legislative Council Speaker during this period.Al-Bayan. [https://www.albayan.ae/one-world/2001-07-17-1.1175146 صدام يدعو الاكراد للحوار وطرد «الجواسيس»، «الديمقراطي» الكردستاني يرفض أي محادثات خارج الرعاية الدولية]

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNszdX6n4J4 AP photage of first session, October 1974]

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Category:Legislatures of country subdivisions

Category:Political history of Iraq

Category:Politics of Kurdistan Region (Iraq)

Category:1974 establishments

Category:2003 disestablishments