Iraqi Parliament Set to Vote on Key Budget Amendments, Including Kurdistan Oil Exports

Feb. 2, 2025

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi Parliament is set to convene on Sunday, for a crucial vote on amendments to the three-year federal budget law, a decision that could have significant economic and political ramifications, particularly concerning the resumption of Kurdistan Region’s oil exports.

The vote follows an agreement reached during a meeting on Friday between Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and parliamentary bloc leaders, where consensus was established to pass the amendments in their current form.

Parliamentary Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani has indicated that the budget amendment, as approved by the Council of Ministers, will be presented for a final vote.

The parliamentary session will focus on four key agenda items.

The primary item is the approval of the first amendment to the federal general budget law for 2023-2025 (Law No. 13 of 2023).

Other matters include revisions to the academic degree equivalency law, review of Ministry of Education recommendations, and a second reading of the private universities higher education bill.

A major point of contention has been the provisions related to the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports, which have remained halted due to prolonged disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.

Vian Sabri, head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) parliamentary bloc, confirmed to Kurdistan24 on Friday that Prime Minister al-Sudani has urged faction leaders to support the amendment, emphasizing its necessity for restarting Kurdistan’s oil exports.

A general understanding was reportedly reached among key parliamentary blocs on January 29 to approve the provisions enabling the resumption of oil shipments.

This vote represents a critical step in resolving long-standing financial and energy disputes between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region.

The outcome could significantly impact Iraq’s economic stability, energy production, and Baghdad-Erbil relations, setting the stage for renewed cooperation or continued deadlock in revenue-sharing and oil management frameworks.