Iraqi court forces parliament back to work

[RVDinar4MyFamily]

Iraqi court forces parliament back to work

BAGHDAD — Iraq's highest court has ordered parliament back in session after a seven-month political impasse that has blocked formation of a new government.

The Iraqi federal court on Sunday called the delay unconstitutional and ordered the legislature back to work.

Parliament's acting speaker, Fouad Massoum, told The Associated Press Sunday that he expects to have a meeting date set by the end of this week.

Parliament's 325 lawmakers have met only once since March 7 elections that failed to give any party a ruling majority.

Political leaders have delayed parliament from reconvening as they negotiate over who will be the next prime minister.

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-world/20101024/ML.Iraq/

[Desert Medic]

The Iraqi federal court on Sunday called the delay unconstitutional and ordered the legislature back to work.

.....So, dang near 8 months later, its unconstitutional? Bout time someone noticed that! Wouldnt want anyone doing anything illegal over there!

[rick25sandi]

[woookiee]

Thanks for the post

[RVDinar4MyFamily]

the story must have just been posted....here is the full article

BAGHDAD — Iraq's highest court on Sunday ordered parliament back to work after a seven-month political impasse that has blocked the formation of a new government.

Iraq's federal Supreme Court called the delay unconstitutional.

Parliament's acting speaker, Fouad Massoum, told The Associated Press that he expects to have a meeting date set by the end of this week.

The four-page court order termed as "illegal" a June decision by lawmakers to delay parliament's return and give leaders time to broker political alliances.

"The federal Supreme Court decided to cancel this decision, binding the parliament speaker to call on lawmakers to convene parliament and resume work," read the order that was issued Sunday.

The delay, it said, "violated the constitution."

Parliament's 325 lawmakers have met only once, briefly in June, since March 7 elections that failed to give any party a ruling majority. Since then, dueling political leaders have resisted returning as they try to corral alliances for enough support to name new government leaders, including the prime minister, when parliament reconvenes.

Without parliament in session, the government is in a holding pattern. It cannot move ahead with any major decisions, including business-friendly reforms such as streamlining bureaucracy and clarifying rules for foreign investment.After meeting for just under 20 minutes in June, lawmakers agreed to leave the parliament session open but unattended — a technicality aimed at allowing negotiations for choosing leaders continue beyond constitutional deadlines. Under pressure from foreign allies and mounting exasperation from the Iraqi public, leaders since have twice tried — and failed — to bring parliament back.

The sides are sharply divided over the formation of a new government, and analysts and some lawmakers have warned that a decision could still be at least a month away. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is battling to keep his job after the rival Sunni-backed Iraqiya list led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi narrowly won the most seats in the March vote.

Sunday's court order settles a lawsuit brought by independent watchdog groups against Massoum in his role as acting speaker. In a brief interview Sunday, Massoum said he has not yet seen the order but has no choice but to abide by the court's demands.

"I will call the leaders of the political blocs for a counselor's meeting, and expect to announce the date of the first session by the end of this week," Massoum said.

[coachsmitty]

SOooo...A new batch of "Pentagon Papers" (Wiki-Leaks) is very damning to Maliki...and now after 8 months the courts suddenly feel compelled to take action...If it's unconstitutional today, it was unconstitutional in the days leading up to now. For those that say we have lost our influence over there...Think again. Maybe it wasn't our own government, maybe it was big money with big connections...regardless, this thing appears to be on the fast track to GOI.

[Traconesu02]

I guess we will see - supposedly upon parliament meeting again they are to have already selected the PM and the two presidents.

I hope that is the way it is supposed to work and that parliament meet to finalize all this once and for all.

Thanks for the post RVDinar4MyFamily

[Traconesu02]

More on this story:

Iraq parliament ordered to get back to work

The two major blocs in Iraq's parliament are loyal to Maliki and Allawi Iraq's Supreme Court has ordered the country's parliament back to work, more than seven months after inconclusive elections left Iraq in political limbo.

The court said lawmakers' self-declared absence was unconstitutional.

Iraq has faced political deadlock since the 7 March elections, when a bloc led by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi emerged with a slender advantage.

Neither he nor current PM Nouri Maliki has since formed a coalition, and parliament has met for just 20 minutes.

At that meeting, in June, lawmakers were sworn in and then decided to delay the formal return of parliament in order to give political leaders time to negotiate alliances.

However, progress has since been slow and Iraq now holds the world record for the longest time without a government.

In a judgement, the Supreme Court said it had decided to cancel the decision to delay parliament's return, and to require a parliamentary speaker to call on lawmakers to convene parliament and resume work.

A leading Iraqi constitutional lawyer told the BBC that the court's decision was a formality that would do nothing to break the political deadlock holding up the formation of a new government, the BBC's Jim Muir reports from Baghdad.

However, parliament will not elect a speaker and other officers until the final composition of a government is decided upon.

Those positions will depend on the broader political carve-up of top jobs, especially the prime minister and president of the republic, our correspondent says.

However, the court's decision does reflect rising public and even political anger at the failure to produce a new government, Jim Muir adds

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11615047

Choose a speaker:

Iraq court tells parliament to convene, pick speaker(AFP) – 1 hour ago

BAGHDAD — Iraq's supreme court on Sunday ordered parliament to convene and choose a speaker, nearly eight months after inconclusive elections left the country without a new government.

Court spokesman Abdul Sattar Bayrakdar told AFP the parliament was ordered to end a delay in choosing a speaker, the first step to forming a coalition in Iraq, which has been without a government since the March 7 elections.

"In a decision taken today, the supreme court ordered parliament to to return to its regular meetings and do its regular work," Bayrakdar said.

"It must start by choosing the speaker and two deputies, and then proceed step-by-step for the other nominations," he added.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hhAaK5haeLX7gXxruBbyydJAHbtQ?docId=CNG.5f120bbe460b15f95ab9522cc596b7bc.3d1

[Qman]

Iraqi court forces parliament back to work

BAGHDAD — Iraq's highest court has ordered parliament back in session after a seven-month political impasse that has blocked formation of a new government.

The Iraqi federal court on Sunday called the delay unconstitutional and ordered the legislature back to work.

Parliament's acting speaker, Fouad Massoum, told The Associated Press Sunday that he expects to have a meeting date set by the end of this week.

Parliament's 325 lawmakers have met only once since March 7 elections that failed to give any party a ruling majority.

Political leaders have delayed parliament from reconvening as they negotiate over who will be the next prime minister.

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-world/20101024/ML.Iraq/

I posted this at 4:14 this morning.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jUhN9ZMNymk4wL0hIMuK5t7qGJkw?docId=08bf883e3dac402683278a3925f31002

[Traconesu02]

I posted this at 4:14 this morning.

http://www.google.co...3278a3925f31002

Your post says it was posted at 7:14 not 4:14 No views no replies.

I missed that one -

http://dinarvets.com/forums/index.php?/topic/37799-iraqi-court-forces-parliament-back-to-work/page__p__235623__fromsearch__1entry235623

This one was posted nearly 2 hours prior to your post.

[Qman]

Your post says it was posted at 7:14 not 4:14 No views no replies.

I missed that one -

http://dinarvets.com/forums/index.php?/topic/37799-iraqi-court-forces-parliament-back-to-work/page__p__235623__fromsearch__1entry235623

This one was posted nearly 2 hours prior to your post.

No it was at 4:14 PST but I did put it in the wrong place. NO big deal

Edited October 24, 2010 by Qman

[Pegleg]

RVDinar4MyFamily, Traconesu02, and Qman your posts are much appreciated. Thank you

[John54]

I dont know why it would take a week to show up for work, unless they forgot where it was they worked. The judge should have ordered them to pay back there salaries for not working. They could have already had some things done, now they or the people have to wait while they pick there people.....as the world turns.....

[tileman1814]

The Iraqi high court should have done this 7 months ago.Maliki is the only one who is running around to neighboring countrys trying to get them on his side.When this all gets settled,if Maliki doesn't win,he will be investigated for crimes against the Iraqi people and will probably be done for good.

Semper Fi !!!

[sonny1]

lets hope this is true, i know its a valid article, good find, but its iraq.......... lol

[CheckMate]

Good morning all, I can NOT say how I know this but this is just bad info;

"Parliament's 325 lawmakers have met only once, briefly in June, since March 7 elections that failed to give any party a ruling majority.

Since then, dueling political leaders have resisted returning as they try to corral alliances for enough support to name new government

leaders, including the prime minister, when parliament reconvenes."

Not sure why this lie is being told as they have been meeting weekly sometimes even daily.

I do like the news that they are telling the public that they are going to force the issues now as this is a good sign, never the less it is miss-information.

http://articlesofinterest-kelley.blogspot.com/2010/10/iraqi-court-forces-parliament-back-to.html

zzzzzzzzz

PS It is sill on its way nothing has in my mind changed,....

[thegente]

Here is another article on the order for parliament to re-convene. Notice the highlighted sentence below. It doesn't say WHEN they have to be back.

Iraq's highest court orders lawmakers back in session

Sunday Oct. 24, 2010

BAGHDAD — Iraq's highest court on Sunday ordered parliament back to work after a seven-month political impasse that has blocked the formation of a new government.

Iraq's federal Supreme Court called the delay unconstitutional.

Parliament's acting speaker, Fouad Massoum, told The Associated Press that he expects to have a meeting date set by the end of this week.

The four-page court order termed as "illegal" a June decision by lawmakers to delay parliament's return and give leaders time to broker political alliances.

"The federal Supreme Court decided to cancel this decision, binding the parliament speaker to call on lawmakers to convene parliament and resume work," read the order that was issued Sunday.

The delay, it said, "violated the constitution."

Parliament's 325 lawmakers have met only once, briefly in June, since March 7 elections that failed to give any party a ruling majority. Since then, dueling political leaders have resisted returning as they try to corral alliances for enough support to name new government leaders, including the prime minister, when parliament reconvenes.

Without parliament in session, the government is in a holding pattern. It cannot move ahead with any major decisions, including business-friendly reforms such as streamlining bureaucracy and clarifying rules for foreign investment.

After meeting for just under 20 minutes in June, lawmakers agreed to leave the parliament session open but unattended -- a technicality aimed at allowing negotiations for choosing leaders continue beyond constitutional deadlines. Under pressure from foreign allies and mounting exasperation from the Iraqi public, leaders since have twice tried -- and failed -- to bring parliament back.

The sides are sharply divided over the formation of a new government, and analysts and some lawmakers have warned that a decision could still be at least a month away. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is battling to keep his job after the rival Sunni-backed Iraqiya list led by former prime minister Ayad Allawi narrowly won the most seats in the March vote.

Sunday's court order settles a lawsuit brought by independent watchdog groups against Massoum in his role as acting speaker. In a brief interview Sunday, Massoum said he has not yet seen the order but has no choice but to abide by the court's demands.

"I will call the leaders of the political blocs for a counsellor's meeting, and expect to announce the date of the first session by the end of this week," Massoum said.

The political jockeying was taking place amid fears that Sunnis who supported Allawi, a secular Shiite, could turn to violence if they feel disenfranchised. Much of the violence that broke out after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion was fueled by retaliatory attacks between Sunnis embittered by the loss of the dominance they had enjoyed under Saddam Hussein and extremists from among the majority Shiites.

In the Sunni-dominated northern city of Mosul, police said a car bomb Sunday morning killed two passers-by and wounded 19.

The casualties were confirmed by a hospital worker who, like police, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Read more: http://zzz.forum-motion.com/iraq-parliament-f6/federal-court-decides-to-abolish-the-iraq-parliaments-open-session-t13729.htm#ixzz13IJI1cLS

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/World/20101024/iraq-parliament-101024/?

Edited October 24, 2010 by thegente

[westy33567]

WELL ITS A DAY LATE AND A DINAR SHORT! LIKE THANKS FOR THE QUICK DECISION! NOT