2-1-11 Independent bodies first public confrontation between the parliament and the government

Highlights/Thoughts
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1. The House discussed the Federal Court ruling today
2. Maliki pre-empted the Parliament session by meeting with the independent bodies prior to this meeting
3. Maliki said he didn't want to influence the independent bodies and said that he wanted Parliament to provide legislative support to preserve the interest of the State
4. Maliki stressed the ruling is final
5. Observers found that Maliki asked the Supreme Judiciary Council to nominate three judges and to choose one of them as the Chairman of the Integrity. This is the beginning of an attempt to change the directors of those bodies and an attempt to link this change to the report of the Commission on the most corrupt institutions in 2010
6. Maliki also tried to collect the opinion of members of the National Alliance to support the court ruling, but there were some members who rejected the ruling
7. The Kurdistan Alliance rejects the ruling, which means there is a new crisis