"العراق والخليج الفارسي" [و‎‎٢‎٥‎٨] (٨٦٢/٥١٨)

THE CONSTITUTION 39!
Organic Law should (1) contain nothing contrary to the provisions
of the treaty with Britain then in force; (2) take account of the rights,
wishes, and interests of all populations inhabiting Iraq; (3) ensure to
all complete freedom of conscience and the free exercise of all forms
of worship, subject only to the maintenance of public order and
morals; (4) provide that no discrimination of any kind shall be made
between the inhabitants of Iraq on the ground of race, religion, or
language; and (5) secure that the right of each community to main
tain its own schools for the education of its own members in its own
language shall not be denied or impaired.
The Crown
The king confirms laws and orders their promulgation, issues
orders for the holding of general elections to the Chamber of Depu
ties, appoints senators, and confirms the election of the President
and Vice-President of the two Chambers. He opens and may adjourn
or prorogue Parliament. When Parliament is not sitting he may issue
ordinances having the force of law by means of Royal Iradas. These
require later confirmation by Parliament. The king may also issue
ordinances for the fulfilment of treaty obligations; these do not need
the confirmation of Parliament.
By the Royal Family Ordinance of 1936) as amended two years
later, a council consisting of the King, the Prime Minister, the Presi
dents of the Senate and the Chamber, and the Ministers of the In
terior and Justice, exists to deal with matters of personal status con
nected with members of the Royal Family.
Parliament and Cabinet
The legislative body consists of a Senate and a Chamber of De
puties. The Senate or Majlis al Aayan consists of 20 members,
nominated by the king to serve for 8 years, one-half retiring or being
reappointed every 4 years. The Chamber of Deputies or Majlis al
Nuwwab contains 150 elected deputies, nominally one for every 20,000
male Iraqi subjects, women having no vote. The number is increased
with changes of population. The non-Moslem communities must be
represented in the Lower House. The voting is by secret ballot on
the old Ottoman system of primary and secondary elections. All en
franchised persons elect electors in the proportion of 1 to 250 of their
number, who in turn elect the deputies. Thus lip-service at least
is paid to democracy (p. 302).