Iraqi parliament needs to pass food security law to benefit the people: Sadr
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Sadrist Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr once again called on Iraq's parliament to pass the Emergency Support for Food Security and Development bill on Saturday.
"After adopting a law criminalizing normalization, it became necessary for the honorable parliament to pass a service law that directly benefits the people, which is the food security law," read Sadr's official statement.
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In the statement, Sadr expressed his hope that the parliament could legislate the food security law without succumbing to pressure from political parties.
"We have high hopes in the Iraqi parliament, which has proven its ability to pass laws despite the obstacles put in its way by political parties and lawsuits," he said.
Addressing the parliament members, Sadr added that "today, all of you should be aware of the people's suffering and requirements, so trust in God, and whoever trusts in Him will not be disappointed."
"The House of Representatives is rising despite attempts to undermine it," he concluded.
In mid-May, Sadr accused his Shiite Coordination Framework (SCF) rivals of targeting the Iraqi people by having the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court reject the Emergency Support for Food Security and Development draft bill.
Read More: Shiite Coordination Framework targeting Iraqi people by rejecting emergency food bill: Sadr
"I swear by God they [SCF] are targeting the people and want to bring them down," he said at the time. "What is even more surprising is that the judiciary is keeping pace with the disgraceful actions of the SCF."
The draft bill is supported by the Saving the Homeland coalition of the Sadrist Movement, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and Sunni Al-Siyada Alliance. It is opposed by the SCF, a coalition of Iran-backed Shiite political parties.
Earlier, members from the SCF submitted complaints against the draft bill to the Federal Supreme Court. On May 15, the top court ruled against passing the bill.
The court's decision sparked many angry reactions on social media.