The Iraqi National Assembly is the unicameral parliament of Iraq which meets in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The current assembly is an elected body of 275 seats.

History

The Assembly first formed following the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Iraq in 1953. Elections were held based on universal manhood suffrage on January 17, 1953. Following controversy over the implementation of the so-called Baghdad Pact Prime Minister Nuri Pasha as-Said called elections the following year, in early 1954. As-Said dissolved the assembly shortly thereafter and began to rule by decree, but opposition forced him to hold a third election within three years. The second 1954 election was very corrupt, with as-Said's political enemies banned from running, and widespread voter coercion. The assembly was suspended yet again, and in 1958 a military coup deposed as-Said and the monarchy, and abolished the Assembly.

In 1980, Iraq's new military president, Saddam Hussein, brought back the National Assembly. There were no elections, however, with all members being appointed from the ranks of Hussein's own Ba'ath Party. The new Assembly was largely a figurehead that would occasionally rubber stamp the president's decrees.

In 2003, Hussein was deposed by the United States, the United Kingdom and their allies in the 2003 Iraq War. In March 2004 a governing council set up by the Coalition Provisional Authority signed an interim constitution which called for the election of a transitional National Assembly no later than the end of January 2005. This Assembly would draft a permanent constitution which would then be submitted to approval by the Iraqi people in a general referendum.

Elections for this transitional National Assembly took place on January 30, 2005. The United Iraqi Alliance Party won the plurality of seats with 48% of the popular vote resulting in 140 seats. Talks between the UIA and other parties to form a coalition government remain ongoing. Eighty-five members of the assembly are women.

The assembly had its first meeting on March 16, 2005. After weeks of negotiations between the dominant political parties, on April 4, 2005, Sunni Arab Hajim al-Hassani was chosen as speaker; Shiite Hussain Shahristani and Kurd Aref Taifour were elected as his top deputies.

See: Iraqi National Assembly election, 2005.