The Framework for Amending the 2005 Iraqi Constitution Under the Supervision of the Executive Authority: A Comparative Study

The constitution stands above all legal norms and prevails over them. It serves as the foundation upon which legislators rely in enacting ordinary legal rules. It is the source upon which all authorities are established, and through it, the boundaries and controlling powers of these authorities are defined. However, this supremacy does not imply that its provisions must remain fixed and rigid. Rather, public interest may necessitate constitutional amendments—whether by deletion, modification, or addition to its articles—in response to political, economic, or social developments.
This research addresses the concept of constitutional amendment from the perspective of legal scholars. It also examines the mechanism for amending the 2005 Iraqi Constitution by reviewing the relevant provisions within the constitution itself, with a focus on the role of the executive authority—namely, the President of the Republic and the Prime Minister—in the amendment process.
The study also reviews the most significant general principles governing the constitutional amendment process, including the justifications for amendment and its various types. It further investigates the scope of the executive authority and the procedures it follows in the amendment process.
By placing the rules of constitutional amendment under scrutiny, the research reveals overlapping powers on the one hand, and a lack of clarity on the other, which has led to deviations in the state’s public policy. This, in turn, has significantly affected the independence of the constitutional process. Despite the necessity of constitutional amendments due to contradictions among certain provisions, the amendment process has become nearly impossible amid political conflicts, unless a genuine political will is present.