Iraq: The Parliament That Barely Meets
The Iraqi parliament, already not known for its long hours, barely met in March amid a new power struggle between Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Speaker Osama al-Nujaifi, writes Ali Abel Sadah.
Throughout March, the Iraqi parliament held only three sessions, passed five laws and did not discuss a single decision concerning public affairs. Al-Monitor has examined parliament’s activity for this month and noted that it did not discuss any laws. Even the laws that were passed in March had been discussed earlier in February and January.
A report issued by the Iraqi Parliament Monitor shows that the total number of the parliament’s working hours in 2012 was 302.6 hours for the total of all sessions, equivalent to 12.6 whole days, or 43.25 seven-hour days.
According to the calculations of this independent monitor — a civil, legal organization based in Baghdad — each MP, whose salary amounts to $34,000 per month, has worked 44 days, which equals $9,000 for every working day.
The majority of Iraqis believe that the parliament does absolutely nothing. They jestingly mock the MPs for getting paid to foment political crises.
