The head of the “Ishraqat Kanoun” bloc told Al-Maalouma: Creating new positions hinders parliamentary oversight… and raising the dollar exchange rate is killing the dinar.
The head of the “Ishraqat Kanoun” bloc told Al-Maalouma: Creating new positions hinders parliamentary oversight… and raising the dollar exchange rate is killing the dinar.
10-17-2026
Information / Press Interview…
In light of the rapid political and economic developments in Iraq, there is an urgent need to review the state’s administrative structure and the files of financial and oversight reform. To shed light on these issues, the Information Agency interviewed Dr. Haider al-Mutairi, head of the Ishraqat Kanun parliamentary bloc, who strongly criticized the government’s expansion efforts, describing them as “disguised sectarian quotas.” Al-Mutairi also outlined his bloc’s vision for combating corruption, the reasons for the decline of the local currency, and their firm stance on the legislation of the Popular Mobilization Forces Law.
Administrative Inefficiency and Quota System:
Q: What is your position on the move to appoint four deputy prime ministers and create new ministries? Do you see this as a direct weakening of the oversight role of the House of Representatives?
A: Yes, absolutely. The move to appoint four deputy prime ministers and create new ministries is an unjustified step aimed at appeasing political blocs at the expense of the country’s public interest. This executive expansion directly contributes to weakening and fragmenting the parliament’s oversight role.
We have repeatedly called for the adoption of a streamlined government and administrative structure that is commensurate with the specific financial and economic challenges, instead of expanding and creating senior executive positions that lack clear legal basis and tangible benefit. Creating these titles perpetuates the principle of partisan quotas and recycles the crises of the previous administration.
We at “Ishraqat Kanoun” have expressed our strong reservations about increasing the number of special positions and ranks, as they do not address the inefficiency in public services, but rather hinder the process of parliamentary oversight and accountability, and dissipate the efforts of standing committees in identifying the sources of failure and holding those responsible accountable. Today, the government is obligated to adhere to the constitution and focus on selecting qualified professionals to manage existing files, instead of burdening the budget with privileges and salaries that do not achieve any tangible developmental difference for the citizen. Regarding
monetary policy and the citizen’s livelihood:
Q: Can we uncover the real reasons behind the decline in the value of the local currency and the rise in the dollar exchange rate?
A: The government’s move to raise the dollar exchange rate was tantamount to “killing the Iraqi dinar.” From the very first day this policy was adopted, the “Ishraqat Kanun” bloc declared its clear and unwavering position of completely rejecting the devaluation of the national currency due to its disastrous effects on citizens’ purchasing power.
We did not merely issue a vague rejection, but worked diligently to present scientific and practical alternative proposals based on maximizing non-oil state revenues, controlling government spending, and addressing actual waste, without burdening ordinary citizens and vulnerable groups with the consequences of financial crises resulting from administrative and monetary mismanagement. Regarding the anti-corruption front:
Q: Is the fight against corruption a fundamental pillar for “Ishraqat Kanun,” one that does not tolerate any compromise? What is the nature of the recent coordination with oversight bodies?
A: The fight against corruption is our fundamental political and oversight principle. Within the halls of Parliament, we have emphasized from the outset the accountability of all individuals who have unjustly enriched themselves and seized public funds, in accordance with constitutional and legal frameworks. In line with this approach, the past period witnessed an unprecedented step: the Federal Integrity Commission, for the first time, held a joint specialized workshop with the “Ishraqat Kanun” bloc to brief our representatives on the Commission’s operational mechanisms and the jurisdictions of its investigation, prevention, and asset recovery departments. We strongly and unequivocally support the Integrity Commission, and this support will be translated into practical action within Parliament by completing and strengthening the legal framework governing the Commission’s work and amending legislation that requires addressing. This will empower oversight bodies to achieve maximum effectiveness in pursuing those involved and protecting the resources of the Iraqi people.
Regarding the Popular Mobilization Forces
: Q: Is the “Ishraqat Kanun” bloc determined to proceed with the legislation of the Popular Mobilization Forces Law? What are the most prominent demands you support in this regard?
A: Our position is firm and principled in supporting the enactment of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Law in a way that guarantees and preserves the full legal and material rights of its members, especially the families of martyrs and wounded heroes, and that formally regulates the work of this institution within the state structure in accordance with the constitution and the law.
We have called on the Iraqi Parliament to finalize this law quickly and to keep it out of the realm of narrow political wrangling and bargaining, in order to prevent any cheap political posturing. What is needed today is to translate verbal and political support into a fair legislative reality that preserves the state’s standing and enhances the effectiveness of its security apparatus. For our part, we affirm our absolute support for the legal provisions that guarantee employment rights, retirement, ranks, allowances, and the application of standards of full parity and equality for PMF members with their counterparts in the other security agencies of the Ministries of Defense and Interior.
almaalomah.me
