Deep Divisions Erupt in Iraq over Draft PMF Restructuring Law
Disputes have erupted between the Coordination Framework and Iraq's government over the draft Hashd al-Shaabi bill.
Derya Welat
The new draft law regulating the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF / Hashd al-Shaabi) in Iraq has sparked deep divisions between the Shiite Coordination Framework and the Baghdad government, focusing primarily on institutional structure, drone arsenal integration, and the tenure of the commission's chairman.
According to Kurdistan24, the draft law was deliberated in the Council of Ministers, where contentious amendments were introduced. One of the most fiercely debated provisions mandates that all PMF brigades receive dedicated drone quotas, officially integrating uncrewed aerial vehicles transferred from armed factions under formal state command.
Beyond weaponry and drone stockpiles, another major dispute centers on the term of office for the head of the PMF Commission. Leading Shiite factions demand a five-year term with renewable tenure, whereas the executive leadership insists on limiting the mandate to a single, non-renewable two-year term to curb political patronage within security institutions.
State of Law Coalition member Bilal Nasiri noted that talks between the Coordination Framework committee and armed groups are progressing to finalize arms integration into state hands by next June. Concurrently, US warnings have cautioned against eroding the independence of Iraqi sovereign defense decisions, while Sunni and Kurdish parliamentary blocs demand institutional balance.
Photo: Kurdistan24