PUK and Other Kurdish Blocs Boycott Parliament Until Vote on Halabja Governorate Law

Kurdistan 04:10 PM - 2025-03-27

PUK logo and Iraqi parliament hall.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) bloc, along with other Kurdish blocs, is calling for the vote on the draft law for the establishment of Halabja Governorate to be added to the parliamentary agenda as a condition for their participation in sessions.

Karwan Yarwais, the PUK bloc’s rapporteur in parliament, told PUKMEDIA: “As the PUK bloc, we are committed to passing the draft law to establish Halabja Governorate in the upcoming parliamentary sessions. We will not take part in any session that does not include this item.”

He further stated: “The provision for voting on the draft law to establish Halabja Governorate has been included in parliamentary sessions on five occasions, yet it has not been put to a vote due to various reasons and excuses.” He emphasised that “Passing laws in parliament requires political consensus, and the PUK consistently seeks agreements that uphold the rights of the people of Kurdistan. We will continue working to pass this law within the current parliamentary session.”

Following the adjournment of Wednesday night’s parliamentary session due to a lack of quorum—resulting in the vote on the draft law for Halabja Governorate being postponed—the PUK bloc and other Kurdish blocs have resolved to boycott further parliamentary sessions unless the agenda includes a vote on the draft law. This move effectively blocks the passage of any other legislation until the matter is addressed.

In accordance with the provisions of Article 61 of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq, the Iraqi parliament has decided to enact the following law:

Law on the Establishment of Halabja Governorate in the Republic of Iraq

Article One:
A governorate shall be established under the name of Halabja Governorate within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, making it the nineteenth governorate in the Republic of Iraq, with Halabja District as its administrative centre.

Article Two:
The Council of Ministers of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq shall determine the governorate’s boundaries and administrative divisions.

Article Three:
The relevant authorities shall implement the provisions of this law.

Article Four:
This law shall come into effect upon its publication in the Official Gazette (Iraqi Gazette).

Rationale for the Law

In the interest of public welfare and in recognition of Halabja’s significant urban and population growth, as well as the immense sacrifices made by its people, this law has been enacted. The city suffered severe human, material, and environmental damage due to its bombing with banned chemical weapons by the former regime in March 1988. This legislation also aims to honour the international recognition Halabja has received as a result of these sacrifices.



PUKMEDIA