Iraqi Parliament faces scrutiny over decision to increase salaries for MPs

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Several documents have surfaced indicating that the Iraqi Parliament has decided to increase the salaries of its members, as well as employees in the office of the Iraqi Prime Minister.

According to information obtained by Kurdistan24, parliamentarians are now awaiting their August paychecks to confirm whether these salary increases have been implemented.

The decision, reportedly made during the seventh session of the second term of the third legislative year of Iraq's fifth parliamentary session, involved voting to raise the salaries and allowances of MPs to match those of government ministers.

Additionally, the parliament voted to increase the base salary of parliamentary employees by 30 percent. The decision, officially recorded in writing No. 143 on August 11, 2024, has already been forwarded to the Prime Minister’s office for execution.

However, the decision has not been without controversy. Noor Nafea al-Julihawi, a member of parliament from the Emtidad Movement (Harakat Emtidad, also sometimes translated as the Extension Movement), expressed her surprise in an audio message posted on Facebook, stating she was unaware of the decision as she was absent from the session.

Al-Julihawiexplained that she had boycotted the session over concerns regarding the passage of an amendment to the Personal Status Law.

She further noted that the issue of salary increases was not on the official agenda, but that due to a 40% salary cut in July, MPs had requested clarification, prompting the presidency to address the matter in one of the meetings.

Adding to the criticism, MP Hussein Ali al-Karaawi, a member of the People's Movement's organizing committee, voiced his disapproval in an interview with Al Jazeera, stating, "All those who have reached parliament claim to serve the people, but they are far from their message and are only looking for seats, positions, and money."

Despite the backlash, another MP, speaking to Kurdistan24 on condition of anonymity, confirmed the authenticity of the documents and defended the decision, asserting that the salary increase was fair and consistent with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

He emphasized that all parliamentarians have equal duties and therefore should have equal salaries and rights.

The anonymous MP also noted that the decision to increase salaries was unanimously approved and that lawmakers are now waiting to see if the adjustments will be reflected in their August pay.

The issue of parliamentary salaries has been contentious in Iraq. In 2018, the Federal Court ordered a reduction in the salaries of MPs and senior officials, cutting them from 8.2 million dinars to approximately 6 million dinars.

The ruling also stipulated that allowances should be based on qualifications and years of service, an effort to introduce more equity in the compensation of public officials.