Shafaq News- Baghdad
Prominent Iraqi economist Nabil Al-Marsoumi announced onFriday that he would step away from media engagement following a dispute withIraq's Parliament over staffing and salary figures he published.
Al-Marsoumi said he had decided to "remain silent andleave," arguing that official documents ultimately reveal the truth butthat defending it often comes at a personal cost. "My story withParliament is not over yet, and even if it ends, it may happen again, as longas the authorities retain their deterrent power,” he added.
Parliament had accused him of publishing"inaccurate" information and threatened legal action. It disputedAl-Marsoumi's claim that about 12,500 staff members receive average monthly payof roughly 3.5 million Iraqi dinars (approximately $2,250) —which he said wasmore than 12 times the salary of an average state employee. The legislaturemaintained that its workforce was less than one-quarter of that number and thatcompensation is paid in accordance with state laws and regulations.
In response, the economist published what he described asofficial Ministry of Finance data showing that employee compensation reached551.2 billion Iraqi dinars (about $353.9M) in 2025. He cited staffing figuresof 2,216 employees in Parliament, 1,051 in the National Accountability andJustice Commission, 937 in the Property Claims Commission, 3,984 in the Boardof Supreme Audit, 2,864 in the Federal Integrity Commission, and 144 in theFederal Public Service Council.
: Iraq’s Parliament: High pay, low productivity
