President files lawsuit against Iraqi Prime Minister
Last Updated on February 11, 2025 6:57 am
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid has filed a lawsuit against Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, accusing him of not paying salaries to civil servants in the autonomous Kurdistan region, a move that has further exposed divisions within Iraq’s top leadership.
President Rashid, who is himself a Kurd, filed a lawsuit last month against Prime Minister Sudani and Finance Minister Taif Sami, the official statement from his adviser, Hawry Tawfiq, was released on Sunday.
In his lawsuit filed with Iraq’s Supreme Court, President Rashid is demanding a permanent order to pay salaries so that they are not disrupted by financial disputes.
Despite a long-standing financial dispute between Baghdad and the Kurdistan regional capital, Erbil, the government has promised to continue paying salaries.
Analysts say Iraq’s public sector has long been plagued by inefficiency and corruption, and there is a long-standing feud between Prime Minister Sudani and President Rashid.
While January salaries have been paid, December salaries have yet to be paid, causing anger among civil servants.
Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani recently thanked Prime Minister Sudani for his cooperation on salaries and other financial issues, but civil servants in Kurdistan have expressed anger over the non-payment of salaries.
On Sunday, hundreds of people from Sulaymaniyah tried to protest in Erbil, but police used tear gas to disperse them, local media reported.