MP files challenge at Supreme Federal Court over election of three deputies and creation of ministries

MP Mohammed Jassim Al-Khafaji filed, on Sunday, a challenge with the Supreme Federal Court against the parliamentary vote that selected three deputies for the prime minister and created three new ministries, according to a Facebook post he made.

Al-Khafaji said the petition focused on violations of constitutional provisions, pointing to Article 139, which appears among the transitional provisions and stipulates that the prime minister shall have two deputies, and only in the first parliamentary term.

He added that the challenge also cited a violation of Article 76, which addresses the voting procedures for the prime minister and members of the Council of Ministers without listing deputies for the prime minister, and a violation of Article 61, which requires parliamentary oversight of the prime minister, the ministers and the heads of independent bodies, arguing that the constitution does not provide for deputies to the prime minister.

According to Al-Khafaji, the petition also noted a violation of Article 86 regarding the creation of ministries without prior legislation as the constitution requires, and requested reversal of an earlier decision issued 15 years ago on the same matter.

Parliament last Thursday voted on three deputies for the prime minister, including Ali Al-Zaidi, and on 11 nominees for the vacant ministries — including the post of minister of state — excluding the Ministry of Migration.