Iraqi parliament accused of 'weaponising' absentee list amid political boycott campaign

Iraq's parliament is facing criticism after officially recording 123 lawmakers as "absent" from its latest session—a move Kurdish parties say ignores their deliberate political boycott.

The session, held on Sunday and led by Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, saw 166 MPs in attendance. However, the published absentee list on the parliament's website and Iraq's state media made no distinction between MPs who stayed away in protest and those who were absent without explanation.

According to information obtained by The New Arab, all the lawmakers were deducted one million Iraqi dinars (about $764) for any absent session.

According to the Iraqi parliament's by laws, if an MP fail to attend successive sessions without prior formal leave and proper justifications, the MP should be fired from the assembly.  The Iraqi parliament includes 329 seats, and the current legislative season will end by November 11, when fresh elections are scheduled to be held. 

Kurdish lawmakers walked out over a proposed amendment to the Political Prisoners Institution Law, which they argue fails to address long-standing discrimination against victims of Saddam Hussein's chemical attack on Halabja and political detainees from the Kurdistan Region.

"This isn't just about politics; it's about dignity and justice for people who suffered some of Iraq's darkest days," said Kurdish MP Muthanna Amin at a press conference inside the parliament’s building. "For years, victims in Halabja have been excluded from the compensation others receive. That's not just an oversight—it's discrimination."

The boycott broke quorum and stalled votes on the amendment and several other items. Despite this, parliamentary leaders listed the Kurdish as well as many other MPs as absent, prompting strong reactions from opposition lawmakers.

Srwa Abdulwahid, head of the New Generation bloc, condemned the move. "We weren't absent. We made a conscious decision to boycott the session," she wrote on X. "Treating protest like absence is a way to silence dissent and mislead the public."

As debate over the amendment continued, TNA contacted several MPs regarding both the absentee list and the legislative status of the law, but they were not available to comment.

The amendment has now been postponed indefinitely, though it remains a flashpoint between political blocs.

Meanwhile, a separate controversy is brewing over the draft law to restructure the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF)—a powerful umbrella group of more than 70 armed factions. The bill would establish the PMF as a fully independent security body, outside the control of the defence and interior ministries, reporting directly to the prime minister.

Supporters say the law is needed to formally recognise those who fought ISIS. But critics warn it would entrench the power of Iran-aligned militias and weaken Iraq’s already fragile institutions.

The United States has made its opposition clear. In a recent meeting with Iraq's First Deputy Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi, Acting US Ambassador Steven Fagin reiterated Washington’s concerns. He cited comments by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who warned the law would "strengthen Iranian influence and empower terrorist groups," undermining Iraq's sovereignty.

Rubio raised the same concerns in a call with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani two weeks ago. Although the bill passed its second reading on 16 July, it has not reappeared on the agenda, widely seen as a result of both domestic resistance and international pressure.

Several lawmakers said the bill was added to a previous session's schedule only after quorum was achieved, sparking a walkout by the Sovereignty Alliance, Taqaddum, and Kurdistan blocs. They accused parliament's leadership of using deceptive tactics to force the bill through.

Despite its absence from Sunday's agenda, PMF chief Faleh al-Fayyadh publicly called on lawmakers to pass the legislation. "This vote is not just procedural, it is an act of national gratitude," he said, calling the law a way to honour fighters who defended the country.

The Security and Defence Committee had formally requested that the bill be added to Saturday's session, but parliament's leadership did not explain its exclusion.

Some lawmakers and legal experts say the bill may be postponed until the next legislative cycle. With tensions high, parliament is becoming increasingly reluctant to introduce divisive legislation that could disrupt proceedings or provoke an international backlash.

With political rifts deepening and international scrutiny mounting, Iraq's leaders are walking a tightrope between powerful internal factions, regional pressure, and a public growing weary of institutional paralysis.