BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqi parliament Speaker Salim al-Jabouri suddenly announced July 17 the formation of a parliamentary committee tasked with amending the country's constitution. While this is not the first time that calls have been made to amend the Iraqi Constitution, no serious steps had been taken.

Although Article 142 of the constitution defines the mechanisms and methods for amending the constitution, differences have prevented the parliament's political blocs from doing so. They have not managed to reach the consensus required to hold a referendum on amendments to the constitution.

In 2006, the Iraqi parliament formed another committee tasked with amending the constitution. But this committee failed to reach a final agreement on the articles that need to be changed. In 2010, parliament chose not form a similar committee despite the fact that Article 142 of the constitution provides for the formation of a parliamentary committee to amend the constitution.

Surprisingly, Jabouri called upon the parliamentary blocs July 17 to field candidates for membership in the constitutional amendment committee amid a major political and popular split over several issues. Chief among these are reform, governmental change, the formation of regions, disputed areas, Federal (Supreme) Court matters, the provinces, oil and gas, the National Guard and the ongoing war with the Islamic State (IS).