Lawmaker blames Speaker over PMF standoff
The opposition to pass the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Authority Law is driven by ideological motives, an Iraqi lawmaker said on Sunday.
Ali al-Bandawi, a member of Iraq's Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, told Shafaq News that the lack of quorum is due to the absence of several political blocs that object to the PMF Authority Law inclusion on the session agenda.
He also pointed out that some members of parliament are preoccupied with preparations for the upcoming elections, stressing that the Speaker's office 'must take decisive steps to ensure sessions are held regularly, enabling the passage of critical and long-pending legislation.'
Earlier, al-Bandawi had stated that the draft law had been thoroughly reviewed by the Security and Defense Committee. 'All the articles were proposed by the head of the PMF and submitted by the government. They were extensively discussed within the committee,' he said.
The law was included on the agenda of the parliamentary session held on July 16. However, several political blocs withdrew from the session, resulting in the loss of quorum.
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