Politics

The politics of Iraq takes place in a framework of a more or less federal parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Iraq is the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the National Assembly of Iraq.

Before the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the Ba'ath Party officially ruled. The occupation yielded to an interim Iraqi constitution, which was replaced by a permanent constitution following approval in a referendum held on October 15, 2005. A permanent 275-member Iraqi National Assembly was elected in a general election in December 2005, initiating the formation of a new government.

The Prime Minister of Iraq is Nouri al-Maliki, who holds most of the executive authority and appoints the cabinet. The current President of Iraq is Jalal Talabani, who serves in a largely figurehead capacity, with few powers. The vice presidents are Tariq al-Hashimi and Adel Abdul Mehdi, deputy leader of SCIRI, the largest party in the Iraqi National Assembly.

Occupation

From April 2003 to June 28, 2004, Iraq was under occupation following the ousting of the Ba'ath Party and President Saddam Hussein. As of June 2007, there were there were around 175,000 regular troops remaining in Iraq under the Coalition forces, including 166,000 US troops, 5,500 British troops, 1,500 Australian troops, along with smaller numbers from South Korea, Poland, Denmark, Romania and other countries. Since Iraqi forces are currently considered ill-equipped to police and secure the country, it is expected that coalition troops will remain in the country for many years to come.

After the overthrow, a power vacuum emerged, which remains in some form to this day, with terrorists, insurgents, and police death squads attacking civilians and, in some cases, battling against coalition forces and newly-formed Iraqi institutions, preventing the emergence of post-war stability. The occupation was led by the coalition's Civil Administrator, L. Paul Bremer, until mid-2004. An Interim Iraq Governing Council was also appointed by the coalition with a monthly rotating interim presidency. The Council in turn appointed a cabinet of ministers and other officials.

Interim Period

In November 2003, the coalition announced plans to turn over sovereignty to an interim Iraqi government by mid-2004. The actual transfer of sovereignty occurred on June 28, 2004. The interim president was Sheikh Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawer, and the interim prime minister Iyad Allawi.

Under the interim Iraqi constitution, signed March 2004, the country's executive branch is now led by a three-person presidential council. The election system for the council effectively ensures that all three of Iraq's major religious groups are represented. The constitution also includes basic freedoms like freedom of religion, speech and assembly, and in many ways has been hailed as more liberal than the US constitution.

The full elections for the Constitutional Committee occurred in January 2005, 2 months before the November 15 agreement's established date of March 31, 2005.

Executive Branch

The president serves in a largely figurehead capacity, with few powers. The Prime Minister of Iraq holds most of the actual executive authority and is required to appoint a cabinet. All three were appointed in April 2005 after elections which saw political differences papered over by ethnic unity (and inter-ethnic divisions).

Legislative Branch

The Constitution includes a bicameral legislative body: the Parliament of Iraq. The lower house is the Council of Representatives, consisting of 275 members known as Members of Parliament. These are elected nationwide in the existing National Assembly constituencies. The Speaker is elected by the House.

The upper house is the Council of Union, with members known as senators. The Senate has an equal number of senators from Sunni Senatorial Districts, Kurdish Senatorial Districts and Shia Senatorial Districts. There are 50 senators from each division, thus a total of 150 senators. The President of the Senate is a Vice President in the Presidency Council, chosen by the President.

The House has supremacy in financial matters, in which the Senate cannot defeat a bill passed by the House and may only delay and propose amendments for thirty days. In other matters the Senate has delaying power of two years. The Senate alone can confirm treaties and appointments to federal agencies and departments, high ranking military positions and Justices of the Supreme Court.