Federal Court Sets Date to Hear Challenge Against Kurdistan Parliament’s Legitimacy

Peregraf

Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court has scheduled July 6, 2025, for the first hearing of a landmark case filed by former Kurdistan Justice Group (Komal) MP Omar Gulpi, who is calling for the dissolution of the sixth term of the Kurdistan Parliament and the rerun of regional elections.

The legal complaint, submitted on May 4, argues that the current parliament is unconstitutional and dysfunctional. Gulpi, who currently represents Komal after being elected in the October 20, 2024 elections, is demanding that all financial privileges granted to sitting MPs over the past five months be revoked.

“The Parliament has remained entirely inactive. This is a violation of law, the constitution, and the democratic mandate of the Kurdish people,” Gulpi said during a press conference in Baghdad.

Komal, which won three seats in the last election, has refused to participate in the sixth term, citing what it calls widespread electoral fraud and a total breakdown in legislative function.

The lawsuit reflects growing unrest within Kurdistan’s political landscape. The New Generation Movement has launched a parallel legal campaign challenging the parliament’s legitimacy. On March 30, Acting Speaker Mohammed Suleiman, a senior New Generation official, formally requested the Kurdistan Region Presidency to dissolve the legislature.

Suleiman accused the parliament of violating multiple constitutional and legal provisions, including:

1. Failure to hold its inaugural session within the 45-day window mandated by Article 10(4) of the Kurdistan Region Presidency Law;

2. Non-compliance with Article 47 of the Election Law concerning MP oath-taking procedures;

3. Violation of Article 12 of Parliament’s Internal Regulations regarding the election of leadership.

“The December 2 session I presided over violated all three provisions,” Suleiman stated. “This makes any legislative action afterward legally baseless.”

The Kurdistan Parliament has effectively been frozen since that session, with no cabinet formed and persistent deadlock between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) over the formation of the new government.

New Generation leader Shaswar Abdulwahid has repeatedly warned that the continued political paralysis is eroding public trust. Speaking on April 15, he said: “Six months after elections, we have neither a legitimate parliament nor an approved cabinet. This institutional paralysis cannot continue.”

Abdulwahid has proposed aligning new parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region with Iraq’s upcoming national elections to restore public confidence and break the current deadlock. He accused ruling parties of deliberately delaying the process to retain power under a failing system.

As the July 6 court date approaches, all eyes are on Baghdad, where the Federal Supreme Court’s ruling could have far-reaching consequences for the future of governance in the Kurdistan Region.