Iraqi lawmaker says Baghdad governor staying in office past retirement age is illegal

BAGHDAD, Iraq — A member of the Iraqi parliament's Legal Committee, MP Tayeb al-Kaabi, said the Baghdad governor's continued tenure after passing the legal retirement age constitutes a clear violation of applicable laws and judicial rulings. In a statement, al-Kaabi cited Article 24 of the 2008 Law of Cities No. 21, which classifies a governor as holding the rank of deputy minister for rights and service purposes, and the 2014 Unified Retirement Law No. 9, which applies mandatory retirement provisions to such officials. He referenced the Federal Court of Cassation's 2019 ruling No. 74 and 2024 ruling No. 95, which affirmed that heads of independent bodies and heads of administrative units are also subject to the legal retirement age, as well as the Supreme Judicial Council's directive No. 923 of Aug. 8, 2024, which he said aligned with that position. Al-Kaabi added that the Federal Financial Supervision Bureau, in letter No. 12580 dated June 2, 2026, determined the Baghdad governor's election beyond the legal age to be unlawful and held the authorities that approved the selection responsible for failing to examine the documents properly. The lawmaker said he filed a written request with the Baghdad Provincial Council more than a week ago to retire the governor, but no action has been taken so far. He stated that all documentation has been forwarded to the relevant oversight and judicial bodies and that the matter will be pursued within the constitutional and legal framework. No immediate response from the Baghdad governor's office or the provincial council was reported.