Islam Creates Split in Kurdish Parliament

Kurdish MPs have not been able to agree over whether to name Islam as a source of legislation in drafting the region's constitution. Romeo Hekari, a member of the committee to draft the constitution, told Midya that the committee is split, with some members believing that the Kurdish constitution should not contradict the Iraqi constitution, (which declares that Islam is a source of legislation) while other members believe that there is no need to mention the issue and repeat the clause. Zana Roostaiy, an MP from the Kurdistan Islamic League, said if the issue is not mentioned in the constitution supporters of the clause will have other means to force it into the constitution. "We might rally the public and take it to the federal court in Baghdad," he said.