The Kurdistan Parliament's role and powers

Parliament's role and responsibilities

The Kurdistan Parliament is the Region's democratically elected legislature. The parliament consists of one elected chamber. Its main functions are:

• To examine proposals for new laws; to scrutinize government policy and administration; and to debate the major issues of the day.
• The founding principles of the parliament are democracy, pluralism, accountability, inclusiveness, and the representation of all peoples in the Kurdistan Region.

MPs are elected by popular vote to parliament’s 111 seats. The Kurdistan Parliament is led by the Speaker, who is assisted in their duties by the Deputy Speaker and Secretary.

Parliament’s powers

As provided in the federal constitution of Iraq [*], Parliament has considerable power to debate and legislate on policy in a wide range of areas: health services, education and training, policing and security, the environment, natural resources, agriculture, housing, trade, industry and investment, social services and social affairs, transport and roads, culture and tourism, sport and leisure, and ancient monuments and historic buildings.

The Kurdistan Parliament shares legislative power with the federal authorities in the following areas, but priority is given to the Kurdistan Parliament’s laws: customs, electric energy and its distribution, general planning, internal water resources. In addition, under Article 121 of the Iraqi federal constitution the Kurdistan Parliament has the right to amend the application of Iraq-wide legislation that falls outside of the federal authorities’ exclusive powers.

[*] These powers are granted by the federal constitution of Iraq in articles 114, 115, 117, 120, 121, 126 and 141.