ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Days before taking office in 2022, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani reached an agreement with Sunni political leaders to dissolve the Accountability and Justice Commission as part of the political deal to form his government. But as efforts to disband the body stalled, Sudani reversed course by the end of 2024, calling on the commission to closely monitor the presence of the banned Ba'ath Party in Iraq.

 

Sudani’s comments came during a meeting with Bassem Mohammed al-Badri, head of the Higher National Commission for Accountability and Justice. The commission has long been a contentious issue, resurfacing especially ahead of elections. While some politicians push for its dissolution, others insist it must remain, arguing that “the Ba'ath Party is still active within state institutions.”

 

The debate over the commission intensified following the recent appointment of Abdullah Hamid Mohammed Saleh al-Tikriti as an advisor to Sudani on agricultural affairs. Iraqi officials said Tikriti previously served as acting minister of trade in 2001 and minister of agriculture from 2000 until the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. His appointment has been criticized as “turning a blind eye to the return of Ba'athists to power.”

 

Lawmaker Zahraa al-Bajari, from the Sadiqoun parliamentary bloc, said the Accountability and Justice Commission has played a vital role in holding Ba'athists accountable and should remain in place to enforce laws and protect state institutions from future threats.

 

Speaking to The New Region, Bajari said the failure of executive bodies to enforce the commission’s directives is a serious flaw that warrants accountability. She added that some individuals have been appointed to official positions despite the commission’s instructions barring them.

 

Bajari compared Iraq’s de-Ba'athification process to Germany’s continued exclusion of Nazis, arguing that the commission’s work remains crucial to protect state institutions from negative influences. She urged against abolishing the commission, calling it a “protective shield” against future threats.

 

Meanwhile, the Unified Sunni Leadership Coalition, representing Sunni political forces, remains firm in its demand to dissolve the commission soon.

 

Senior coalition member Azzam al-Hamdani told The New Region that one of the main conditions for forming the current government was dissolving the commission and transferring its responsibilities to a judicial body. He argued that the commission has outlived its purpose and is being exploited as a tool for political blackmail.

 

Hamdani added that the government is serious about dissolving the commission, as outlined in the political agreement. However, some political forces are deliberately obstructing the process to keep the issue as a bargaining chip.

 

Political analyst Majash al-Tamimi said there is no real political will to dissolve the Accountability and Justice Commission anytime soon, citing election-related motives.

 

Most factions within the Coordination Framework, which holds a parliamentary majority, oppose dissolving the commission because they continue to use it for political and electoral purposes, Tamimi told The New Region.

 

He noted that dissolving the commission is not solely within the prime minister’s authority, as it requires parliamentary approval since it was established by law. With the Coordination Framework controlling Parliament, the commission is unlikely to be dissolved, he said.

 

Instead, the issue is expected to remain a political tool, used by different factions to advance their agendas rather than being resolved through meaningful reforms.