Iraq's parliament adopted legislation Saturday on the reinstatement of thousands of former supporters of Saddam Hussein's Baath party to government jobs. The bill was passed by a unanimous show of hands on each of the law's 30 clauses.
Titled the Accountability and Justice law, it seeks to relax limits on the rights of members of the now-dissolved Baath party to fill government posts. It is also designed to reinstate thousands of Baathists fired from government jobs after the 2003 U.S. invasion.
The legislation can become law only when approved by Iraq's presidential council. The council, comprised of Iraq's president and two vice presidents, is expected to ratify the measure. According to the AP, the draft law approved Saturday is not a blanket approval for all former Baathists to take government jobs.
The law will allow low-ranking Baathists not involved in past crimes against Iraqis to go back to their jobs. High-ranking Baathists will be sent to compulsory retirement and those involved in crimes will stand trial, though their families will still have the right to pension.
