Prices are rising and the streets are in discontent… Sudanese taxes are burdening citizens and creating a confrontation with the incoming government.
Prices are rising and the streets are in discontent… Sudanese taxes are burdening citizens and creating a confrontation with the incoming government.
1-15-2026
The Iraqi public is bewildered by the government’s recent decisions to raise taxes, impose tariffs, and increase customs duties on essential goods and commodities. This comes despite the government’s awareness of the dire living conditions faced by most Iraqis. Prime Minister al-Sudani’s decisions have been met with widespread criticism and rejection, with some political factions viewing them as an attempt to pit the incoming government against the public, especially given al-Sudani’s failure to secure a second term following recent agreements within the Shia political bloc. Hussain
al-Karawi, head of the coordinating committee for the popular movement advocating for the Belt and Road Initiative, told Al-Maalomah, “The government’s imposition of additional taxes and increased customs duties while in a caretaker capacity constitutes a clear and blatant violation of the constitution. Financial matters affecting citizens are explicitly addressed in the constitution. It is surprising that al-Sudani is pursuing tax increases when he knows that, according to Article 28 of the constitution, such matters must be decided by the Council of Representatives. Therefore, these decisions are considered null and void, and the Council of Representatives has the power to overturn and reject them.”
He explained that “Al-Sudani has exceeded his powers and violated all laws and mechanisms in order to put a stick in the wheel and thus put the next government in direct confrontation with the street, by making decisions that affect the citizen’s life and make the living situation more difficult for him.”
For his part, former MP Yasser al-Husseini told Al-Maalomah that “increasing state revenues should not come at the expense of ordinary citizens, but rather through activating and investing the country’s vast strategic resources.” He pointed out that “properties in the Green Zone were sold previously, and the fate of the proceeds remains unknown.”
He added that “prices in local markets have witnessed a significant rise due to the recent taxes and fees, which necessitates the government reviewing its financial policies and seeking genuine alternatives to increase revenues without burdening citizens.” He further stated that “had the austerity policy been implemented before the elections, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani would have secured only a very limited number of seats.”
In a related development, Member of Parliament Mohammed al-Khafaji explained to Al-Maalomah that “members of Parliament have collected more than one hundred signatures to summon the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to Parliament to discuss the reasons for the financial crisis, as well as the constitutional violation by the Council of Ministers in making decisions during its term as a caretaker government.” He added, “The summons is to examine the decisions taken by the caretaker government, especially those related to tax increases and their negative impact on citizens. We have also requested that Finance Minister Taif Sami be summoned to ascertain the true nature of the financial crisis the country is experiencing.”
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