Iraqi MP seeks court ruling on caretaker cabinet decisions

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Imposing new financial charges exceeds the authority of a caretaker government and violates the constitution, a newly elected Iraqi lawmaker argued on Sunday, calling for an urgent judicial review of recent cabinet decisions.

In a post on Facebook, MP Mustafa Jabbar Sanad directed a formal inquiry to President Abdullatif Rashid, urging him to intervene as the “guardian of the constitution” and to formally refer the matter to the Federal Supreme Court for a ruling on the legality of the measures.

Sanad’s challenge targets a Council of Ministers decision regulating state revenues that introduced new fees and collection mechanisms across several sectors, including a 20% service charge on mobile phone recharge cards and internet services. He argued that the decision created new and continuing financial obligations, which he described as incompatible with the limited mandate of a caretaker cabinet.

Iraq held special and general voting on November 9 and 11 for the sixth parliamentary term. On November 17, the court ruled that the general vote marked the end of the legislature’s mandate, designated the cabinet as a caretaker government, and restricted its authority to non-postponable, day-to-day decisions.

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Against this backdrop, Sanad argued that the cabinet’s revenue measures amount to a broader financial policy adopted without legislative approval. He said the decision infringes on parliament’s constitutional authority over taxation under Article 28 and violates the principle of separation of powers by imposing new charges that directly affect citizens’ financial obligations.