The Reality and Future of Parliamentary Experience in Iraq after 2003

Abstract

Parliamentary systems are the most prevalent form of government worldwide today, such as in Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, India, and others. However, there are countries that adopt political systems different from those mentioned, such as the presidential system in the United States of America and the assembly system in Switzerland. Nevertheless, most parliamentary systems have their origins in the British parliamentary experience, which was used as a model in establishing their powers and managing public affairs.

The reality of the parliamentary experience in Iraq is one of the parliamentary experiences in the countries of the Global South that reflects a societal reality different from parliamentary experiences in emerging parliamentary democracies, as it is a young experience after 2003. It was established and developed in a historical context, political instability, and insecurity that Iraq witnessed after 2003, under the authority of the American occupation. The clear shortcomings in this parliamentary experience are attributed to historical circumstances, the pressures of the American occupation, and the newness of the experience.

Therefore, it was necessary for us to examine the reality of the Iraqi parliamentary experience after 2003, in terms of its characteristics, legislation, oversight, and its challenges, as well as evaluating the work of governments, and looking at the future prospects of the experience.