Al Maliki I Government
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The first
This Al Maliki I Government governed Iraq until 2010, to be succeeded by the Al Maliki II Government (Dec. 2010 - Sept 2014).
Process of formation
After some disputes over the election results, the members of the new Council of Representatives were sworn in on March 16, 2006. In the meantime, negotiations over the forming of a government had begun. Leaders of the four largest political groupings called for a government of national unity. Although it was decided in advance that the largest grouping (the
No-confidence moves
In December 2006, media reported a plot to oust Maliki in a no-confidence vote and to create a new governmental alliance between
Agenda
The following matters were expected to be the most important issues for the new government to deal with:
- The relationship with the United States and coalition forces
- Containing the insurgency and inter-communal violence
- Implementing and possibly amending the constitution, particularly with regards federalism.*
Federalism and the Constitution
One of the main areas faced by the new government was the issue of federalism, which includes the formation of one or more Shi'ite regions, the status of Kirkuk and any possible amendment to the Constitution of Iraq
Constitutional amendments
Under a compromise agreed in September 2005 between the
Federalism
Article 114 of the constitution of Iraq provided that no new region may be created before the Iraqi National Assembly has passed a law which provides the procedures for forming the region. This law was passed on 11 October after an agreement was reached with the Iraqi Accord Front to form the constitutional review committee and to defer implementation of the law for 18 months. Legislators from the Iraqi Accord Front, Sadrist Movement and Islamic Virtue Party all opposed the bill.[2]
Governorate elections
Interim councils were elected in each of the
Kirkuk
Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Alliance wants Kurds who were expelled from Kirkuk to be allowed to return to the city and for the
The Kurds would also like to increase the proportion of oil revenues retained by the regions from 17% to 24%.
In August 2006 Maliki appointed a committee to "examine the status" of Kirkuk "in light of Iraq's federalist system", headed by the Sunni Arab Justice Minister
Issues faced by the government
Basra violence
As soon as the government was formed members of the
- Safa al-Safi, Ministry of State for Parliamentary Affairs
- Sadr Movement
- Hadi Al-Amiri, Badr Organization
- Islamic Virtue Party representative
- Iraqi Accord Front representative
- three other United Iraqi Alliance members[7]
Prison Abuse
D+Z, a development magazine based in Germany, reports the current administration reverting to Saddam-era police tactics, including torture and extrajudicial executions. It is reported[by whom?] that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki knew of these acts, but he claims "the stories are 'lies.'" Reports of secret prisons exist as well.[8]
Key legislation passed
The government passed the following key items of legislation:
- The Federalism Law (October 2006), which provided for the formation of new regions of Iraq[2]
- The Unified Retirement Law (October 2007), restored pensions to former Baathists[9]
- The Baath Party members, made the De-Baathification Commission permanent and extended de-Baathification to the judiciary.[10] The law was passed by a majority vote by the Presidency Council after Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi refused to sign.[9]
- The General Amnesty Law (February 2008) allowed for the pardoning and release of all prisoners detained for more than 6 months without charge or 12 months without trial, unless suspected of the most serious crimes.
- The Provincial Powers Act (February 2008) was passed by a majority of only 1 and detailed the division of powers between new electionsto be held by October 2008.
References
- ^ Bush Says New Iraqi Government a "Decisive Break with the Past"
- ^ a b Iraqi parliament approves federal law[dead link], Reuters, 2006-10-11
- ^ Heralded New Law Is Vetoed by Iraq’s Presidency Council, The New York Times, 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ Iraqi Council Ends Objection to Election Law, The New York Times, 2008-03-20. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
- ^ Informed Comment: March 2006
- ^ Turkoman, Arabs oppose referendum on future of Iraqi city Kirkuk Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine, Monsters and Critics, 2006-08-22
- ^ Informed Comment
- ^ "D+C 2011/03 - Miller - Arab countries' secret police forces have a reputation for torture and arbitrary arrests - Development and Cooperation - International Journal". Inwent.org. Archived from the original on 2011-02-21. Retrieved 2012-09-22.
- ^ a b c Inside Iraqi politics – Part 5. A look at legislative progress: Sunnis’ and states’ rights, The Long War Journal, 2008-02-28. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ^ Iraq’s New “Accountability and Justice” Law Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine, International Center for Transitional Justice, 2008-01-22