Crisis in Baghdad: mass resignations reported at Iraq's Federal Supreme Court amid power struggle

Iraqi News

24-06-2025

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraq's highest judicial body, the Federal Supreme Court, is reportedly paralyzed by a mass resignation of its judges, a move that comes at an exceptionally sensitive time and threatens to create a constitutional vacuum ahead of crucial national decisions.
For four days, political and judicial circles have been circulating reports that six regular members and three reserve members of the court have collectively resigned. Yet, an official and deafening silence has emanated from the court itself and all related state institutions. No resignation letter has been published, no names have been confirmed, and no official explanation has been offered, fueling intense speculation about the power struggles convulsing the top of Iraq's judiciary.
The timing of this reported implosion is explosive. The Federal Court was on the verge of holding sessions on a highly sensitive political case regarding a challenge to the Khor Abdullah maritime agreement with Kuwait. Furthermore, with parliamentary elections looming in the coming months, the court holds the ultimate power to ratify the final results, a constitutional necessity before a new parliament can convene. Without a functioning court, the legitimacy of the entire electoral process could be thrown into question.
This crisis does not exist in a vacuum. The court has long been a lightning rod for controversy, with critics accusing it of making politically motivated decisions, such as its rulings on election laws and the contentious removal of former Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. These actions were often seen as aligning with the most powerful factions in government.
Three dominant theories are circulating to explain the alleged resignations:
Internal Dissent: A reported internal conflict between court members and the court's president, Jassim Al-Amiri, over his alleged attempts to impose his views on judicial decisions. A Judicial 'War of Wings': An escalating power struggle between President Al-Amiri and the head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zidan, who is widely seen as seeking to centralize judicial authority under his control. The resignations could be a decisive move in this battle for dominance. External Political Pressure: Intense pressure related to the Khor Abdullah agreement, which the court previously nullified but which the current government and its allies reportedly seek to revive.
If confirmed, the mass resignation of nearly the entire Federal Supreme Court represents an 'unprecedented collapse' of the institution designed to be the final guarantor of Iraq's constitutional order. With critical legal and political deadlines approaching, the silence from Baghdad's judicial authorities only deepens the crisis, leaving the nation to wonder who stands to gain from the chaos.