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August 18, 2005

Iraq The Model: 78 Percent Support Federal System - 26 Percent Want Islam As Only Source Of Legislation

Topics: Iraq

From Omar at Iraq The Model - The majority of Iraqis prefer a federal state and a limited role for religion in the constitution; poll results showed:

(...) a high percentage of Iraqis would prefer a federal system in the new Iraq, that's according to a poll conducted by an Iraqi NGO named "The civil Alliance For Free Elections".

(...) The poll showed that 78% of participants support a federal state while 22% preferred a state based on a strong central government.

(...) As to the relationship between Islam and the state; the results were 65% want Islam to be considered as a source of legislation, 26% want Islam to be the only source of legislation while 9% see that Islam should not be mentioned at all in the constitution.
From Al-Sharq Al-Awsat.

Omar adds, "If the constitution drafting committee had listend to the people more than they listened to politicians, they would have moved with their task way faster than they've been doing. And there would have been no fear from having the constitution rejected like there is now."

Meanwhile, the Iraqi constitutional committee couldn't come to an agreement on the issues that separated it by the designated date of 15 August 2005, having been hung up on the role Islam should play in the constitution, federalism as a model of government, the rights of women, even the official name of the new Iraqi state. The result is that the national assembly has given the negotiators a week's extension, until 22 August - a period both long enough (in principle) to resolve differences, and short enough to sustain the pressure to do so. Will it be a constitution or an epitaph?

Technorati Tag(s): Iraq, Constitution, Islam,

Posted by Richard at August 18, 2005 8:30 PM

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• Iraq The Model: 78 Percent Support Federal System - 26 Percent Want Islam As Only Source Of Legislation - Aug 18, 2005