Editing Politics of Iraq (section)

==Government==

===Federal government===
{{main|Federal government of Iraq}}
[[File:Baghdad Convention Center.jpg|thumb|left|[[Council of Representatives of Iraq]]]]

The [[Federalism|federal]] [[Forms of government|government]] of [[Iraq]] is defined under the current [[Constitution of Iraq|constitution]] as a [[Representative democracy|democratic]], [[Federation|federal]] [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[republic]].<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 1, Article 1</ref>  The federal government is composed of the [[Executive branch|executive]], [[Legislative branch|legislative]], and [[judicial branch|judicial]] branches, as well as numerous independent commissions. [[Islam]] is the official religion of the state and a foundation source of legislation, and no law may be enacted that contradicts its established provisions; furthermore, no law may be enacted that contradicts the principles of [[democracy]] or those basic rights and freedoms stipulated in the constitution.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 1, Article 2</ref>

The legislative branch is composed of the [[Council of Representatives of Iraq|Council of Representatives]] and a [[Federation Council of Iraq|Federation Council]].<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 3, Chapter 1, Article 48.</ref> The executive branch is composed of the [[President of Iraq|president]], the [[Prime Minister of Iraq|prime minister]], and the [[Council of Ministers of Iraq|Council of Ministers]].<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 3, Chapter 2, Article 63</ref> The [[judiciary of Iraq|federal judiciary]] is composed of the [[Supreme Judicial Council of Iraq|Supreme Judicial Council]], the [[Court of Cassation of Iraq|Court of Cassation]], the [[Supreme Court of Iraq|Supreme Court]], the [[Public Prosecution Department of Iraq|Public Prosecution Department]], the [[Judiciary Oversight Commission of Iraq|Judiciary Oversight Commission]], and other federal courts that are regulated by law.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 3, Chapter 3, Article 89</ref> One such court is the [[Central Criminal Court of Iraq|Central Criminal Court]].

The [[Independent High Commission for Human Rights]], the [[Independent High Electoral Commission]], and the [[Commission on Integrity]] are independent commissions subject to monitoring by the Council of Representatives.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 102</ref> The [[Central Bank of Iraq]], the [[Board of Supreme Audit]], the [[Iraqi Communications and Media Commission|Communications and Media Commission]], and the [[Endowment Commission]] are financially and administratively independent institutions.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 103</ref> The [[Foundation of Martyrs]] is attached to the Council of Ministers.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 104</ref> The [[Federal Public Service Council]] regulates the affairs of the federal public service, including appointment and promotion.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Section 3, Chapter 4, Article 107</ref>

===Local government===
The basic subdivisions of the country are the regions and the governorates. Both regions and  governorates are given broad autonomy with regions given additional powers such as control of internal security forces for the region such as police, security forces, and guards.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Article 121</ref> The last local elections for the governorates were held in the [[2009 Iraqi governorate elections]] on 31 January 2009.

====Federal regions====
{{main|Federal regions of Iraq}}
The constitution requires that the Council of Representatives enact a law which provides the procedures for forming a new region 6 months from the start of its first session.<ref>[[Constitution of Iraq]], Article 114</ref> A law was passed  11 October 2006 by a unanimous vote with only 138 of 275 representatives present, with the remaining representatives boycotting the vote.<ref>{{Citation | last = Muir | first = Jim | publication-date = 2006-10-11 | title = Iraq passes regional autonomy law | publication-place = Baghdad | publisher = BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6041916.stm | access-date = 2008-11-09 | archive-date = 2018-10-03 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181003104455/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6041916.stm | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="draft_regions_law">{{Citation | title = Draft of the Law on the Operational Procedures for the Creation of Regions | url = http://www.niqash.org/intern/getBin.php?id=367 | access-date = 2008-11-09 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090301054521/http://www.niqash.org/intern/getBin.php?id=367 | archive-date = 2009-03-01 }}</ref> Legislators from the [[Iraqi Accord Front]], [[Sadrist Movement]] and [[Islamic Virtue Party]] all opposed the bill.<ref>{{Citation | title=Iraqi parliament approves federal law | url=http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=IBO145418&WTmodLoc=World-R5-Alertnet-4 |date=2006-10-11 | access-date=2008-04-18 }}{{dead link|date=July 2021|bot=medic|fix-attempted=yes}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Under the law, a region can be created out of one or more existing [[Governorates of Iraq|governorates]] or two or more existing regions, and a governorate can also join an existing region to create a new region. A new region can be proposed by one third or more of the council members in each affected governorate plus 500 voters or by one tenth or more voters in each affected governorate. A referendum must then be held within three months, which requires a simple majority in favour to pass. In the event of competing proposals, the multiple proposals are put to a ballot and the proposal with the most supporters is put to the referendum. In the event of an affirmative referendum a Transitional Legislative Assembly is elected for one year, which has the task of writing a constitution for the Region, which is then put to a referendum requiring a simple majority to pass. The President, Prime Minister and Ministers of the region are elected by simple majority, in contrast to the [[Iraqi Council of Representatives]] which requires two thirds support.<ref name="draft_regions_law"/>

The northern [[Kurdistan Region]] emerged in 1992 with its own local government and parliament officially recognised in 2005 following the adoption of the new constitution.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Political History of the Kurds |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/extremism-watch_political-history-kurds/6178024.html |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=VOA |date=22 October 2019 |language=en |archive-date=2022-03-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316194009/https://www.voanews.com/a/extremism-watch_political-history-kurds/6178024.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Provinces====
{{Main|governorates of Iraq|districts of Iraq}}
{{See also|Government of Baghdad}}

[[File:Iraqi Governorates.svg|200px|thumb|right|Iraqi Governorates]]
[[Iraq]] is divided into 18 [[governorates of Iraq|governorates]], which are further divided into [[districts of Iraq|districts]]:

{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
# [[Baghdad Governorate|Baghdād]] (بغداد)
# [[Saladin Governorate|Salāh ad-Dīn]] (صلاح الدين)
# [[Diyala Governorate|Diyālā]] (ديالى)
# [[Wasit Governorate|Wāsit]] (واسط)
# [[Maysan Governorate|Maysān]] (ميسان)
# [[Basra Governorate|Basra]] (البصرة)
# [[Dhi Qar Governorate|Dhī Qār]] (ذي قار)
# [[Al Muthanna Governorate|Al-Muthannā]] (المثنى)
# [[Al-Qādisiyyah Governorate|Al-Qādisiyyah]] (القادسية)
# [[Babil Governorate|Bābylon]] (بابل)
# [[Karbala Governorate|Karbalā']] (كربلاء)
# [[Najaf Governorate|Najaf]] (النجف)
# [[Al Anbar Governorate|Al-Anbar]] (الأنبار)
# [[Nineveh Governorate|Nineveh]] (نينوى)
# [[Dohuk Governorate|Dohūk]] (دهوك)
# [[Erbil Governorate|Arbīl]] (أربيل)
# [[Kirkuk Governorate|Kirkuk]] (كركوك)
# [[Sulaymaniyah Governorate|Sulaymāniyah]] (السليمانية)
}}