Parliament showdown looms over unsustainable spending, new taxes, and KRG oil revenues.
A leaked copy of the Cabinet's provisional 2021 draft budget confirms a major currency devaluation — and an unchecked trend of unsustainable spending.
MPs say Iraq's 2021 budget is likely to bring a significant drop in the value of the dinar, helping the government's balance sheet but hurting the purchasing power of most Iraqis.
Protests and violence in Sulaimaniya add urgency to KRG efforts to resolve disputes and secure budget transfers from Baghdad.
New legislation could reduce the influence of political party bosses, but reformers still see major hurdles to free and fair elections.
As hostilities with Iran resume, a shortened waiver period gives the outgoing Trump administration one last opportunity to wield economic leverage in Iraq.
A broad range of political, security, and business leaders say they expect no sea change in U.S. policy toward Iraq, while hoping for reduced tensions with Iran.
Finance Ministry issues orders to begin transferring overdue civil servant salaries after overnight approval of $10 billion borrowing law.
Legislation would provide less than one-third of the emergency funding requested by the Cabinet, and could be further delayed by Erbil-Baghdad disputes.
An attack near the Swara Tika and Atrush oil fields comes a week after a pipeline explosion blamed on the PKK, and as Turkey pressures leaders in Erbil and Baghdad to confront the guerrilla group.
