Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Thursday Morning 10-8-26

The Sudanese Coalition Accuses Politicians Of Hypocrisy: They Publicly Criticize The Rise Of The Dollar While Secretly Smuggling It

Baghdad - One News Khaled Walid, a member of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, attacked politicians whom he accused of having double standards regarding the dollar exchange rate, noting that they publicly express their objection to its rise in front of the media, while, according to his accusations, they are smuggling US currency away from public view.

Walid said that some politicians “weep over the price of the dollar in the media in a miserable way while they smuggle it in secret,” accusing them of putting pressure on state institutions, which he described as having been exhausted as a result of their political and oversight performance.

He added that these politicians are returning to demand the inclusion of hundreds of thousands of job positions in the budget, with the aim of satisfying their electoral base, at a time when the country is facing financial and economic challenges that require dealing with public spending responsibly.

Walid criticized what he described as attempts to target political opponents under the pretext of holding the previous government responsible for the current situation, stressing that the formation of governments took place according to political agreements and power-sharing, and that the forces that criticize its performance were partners in it.

He explained that the participation of those parties was not limited to ministerial portfolios, but also included special grades and other political gains, considering that holding one party responsible contradicts the nature of collective participation in running the state.

The member of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition concluded his criticism by addressing those forces, saying: "Enough with the hypocrisy," referring to what he sees as a contradiction between their media stances and their political practices. https://1news-iq.net/ائتلاف-السوداني-يتهم-سياسيين-بازدواج/

Parliament Cancels "Dollar Session" And Settles For A Meeting With The Minister Of Finance And The Governor Of The Central Bank

2026-10-08 05:13  Shafaq News - Baghdad     A parliamentary source reported on Thursday that the Speaker of Parliament decided to cancel the parliamentary session scheduled for today, which was to include hosting Finance Minister Faleh Sari and Central Bank Governor Nizar Nasser Hussein to discuss the repercussions of the decision to raise the exchange rate of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar.  

For his part, MP Sipan Shirwani, from the Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc, told Shafaq News Agency that the parliamentary finance committee will hold a meeting this afternoon, in the presence of the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank, to discuss the reasons for the change in the exchange rate of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar.  

Sherwani added that the meeting will be dedicated to discussing the change in the dollar exchange rate, and it is also likely to address the draft federal budget law.  

It is worth noting that the Iraqi Parliament voted yesterday, Wednesday, to postpone the agenda of yesterday’s session and convert it into a general discussion session regarding the decision to raise the exchange rate of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar, while it set a special session for today, Thursday, to host the Governor of the Central Bank and the Minister of Finance to discuss the reasons for the decision and its repercussions.  

The Central Bank of Iraq announced (yesterday, Wednesday) a change in the official exchange rate of the Iraqi dinar against the US dollar to be 1,520 dinars per dollar instead of 1,320 dinars per dollar, which generated angry popular reactions.    

The Central Bank also described yesterday the decision to raise the exchange rate of the dinar against the US dollar as a "strategic step" to enhance financial stability, reassuring citizens and the economic sector of the adequacy and strength of its foreign reserves https://shafaq.com/ar/سیاسة/البرلمان-يلغي-جلسة-اليوم-ويكتفي-باستضافة-وزير-المالية-ومحافظ-المركزي-باللجنة-المالية

"A Hasty Decision That Harmed The Citizen," MP Walaa Al-Jizani Said: "Raising The Dollar Exchange Rate Has Had Negative Effects On The Street, And Parliament Is Moving To Discuss Its Repercussions"

Baghdad - One News - 10/07/2026  Deputy Walaa Al-Jizani, Vice President of the Badr parliamentary bloc, described the government’s decision to raise the dollar exchange rate as “hasty,” stressing that its repercussions have negatively affected the public and harmed citizens.

Al-Jizani said that the House of Representatives witnessed a parliamentary movement and stance regarding the decision to raise the exchange rate, indicating that the parliament works for all the people of Iraq and not for a specific political audience, in light of the reactions that the decision has caused in the street.

He added that the Speaker of Parliament was surprised by the decision to raise the dollar exchange rate, noting that there are several solutions that can be resorted to in order to address the repercussions of the decision, including proposals and solutions offered by financial experts.

Al-Jizani revealed that the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq will attend the House of Representatives tomorrow to discuss the details of the decision to raise the exchange rate and the reasons that led to taking it, stressing that the hosting will allow the representatives to see more clearly the background of the decision and its repercussions.

He indicated that the picture would become clearer after discussions with the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank, stressing that Parliament would present its observations and recommendations regarding the decision during the discussions.

The deputy head of the Badr parliamentary bloc stressed that the House of Representatives has the right to make recommendations regarding the issue, considering that the Central Bank should deal with it in light of the repercussions of raising the exchange rate on citizens and markets.

Regarding the completion of the government formation, Al-Jizani revealed that the House of Representatives is expected to vote on completing Prime Minister Ali Falih Al-Zaidi's cabinet early next week.   https://1news-iq.net/قرار-متسرع-أضر-بالمواطن-النائب-ولاء/