Parl. to extend sessions to debate Art. 50 of elections law

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi Parliament on Monday decided to postpone its one-week recess to debate Article 50 pertaining to the representation of religious and ethnic minorities in provincial councils. “The Parliament’s presidential board has decided to extend its sessions until this Thursday to debate means of activating Article 50 of the provincial council elections law,” a parliamentary media source told IraqiNews.com. The Council of Representatives was scheduled to take a one-week recess as of tomorrow. The Parliament’s decision to remove Article 50, which specifies a quota for minorities in provincial councils, has sparked heated reactions from several political blocs representing the country’s Christians as well as other minorities. SS (P) 1