ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Iraqi Council of Ministers on Tuesday approved a new draft bill for the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) to be referred to the Iraqi parliament to be voted on by the legislature. 

A source from the Council of Ministers told state media on Tuesday that the law “aims to organize the Popular Mobilization Authority similar to other state security and military agencies.”

The Iraqi PM’s office announced on Tuesday that “the Council of Ministers approved the new draft for the Popular Mobilization Commission and refers it to the Council of Representatives.”

The proposed amendments involve the Service and Retirement Law for the PMF.

The PMF or Hashd al-Shaabi was formed upon a call by Iraq’s top Shiite authority Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani soon after the Islamic State (ISIS) took over large swathes of territory in Iraq. The force has been officially incorporated into the regular Iraqi defense forces, enjoying similar privileges as the Iraqi army.

The government official who spoke to state media added that the approval to the law “comes within the steps of reforming the security institutions.”

The amendments have forced Iraqi lawmakers into a heated headlock. While supporters argue that the legislation is necessary to formalize and regulate the PMF, others see it as an attempt to sideline current leaders and weaken the institution. 

The Sadiqoun parliamentary bloc, the political wing of Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq led by Qais al-Khazali, has pushed back against claims that the proposed law seeks to restructure the PMF or force prominent commanders into retirement. 

MP Rafiq al-Salhi told The New Region previously that the law aims to regulate the PMF’s operations similarly to other security and military institutions while ensuring the rights of its fighters. The legislation also seeks to address the issue of leaders exceeding the legal retirement age.

The State of Law Coalition, led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and Sadiqoun, are among the strongest backers of the PMF law. Both blocs have boycotted parliamentary sessions to protest the exclusion of the bill from the legislative agenda, leading to quorum issues.

The legislation, first proposed in 2014, remains one of Iraq’s most politically sensitive issues.