Iraqi economist Nabil el-Marsumi announced he will withdraw from the media following a dispute with the Parliament over the number of personnel and salary data. Marsumi said he has chosen to remain silent and step back.
The economist emphasized that official documents ultimately reveal the truth, but defending it comes with a personal cost. He also noted that the tension with the Parliament has not fully ended and that a similar process could recur as long as authorities maintain their deterrent power.
Dispute Over Salaries and Staff Numbers
At the center of the dispute was Marsumi’s claim that the Parliament employs about 12,500 personnel, each receiving an average monthly salary of 3.5 million Iraqi dinars, approximately 2,250 dollars. Marsumi argued that this amount is more than 12 times the average salary of a government employee.
The Parliament rejected these figures, stating the number of personnel is less than a quarter of that. The legislative body contested the claim, asserting that salaries and payments are made in accordance with state laws and regulations.
Financial Data Shared by the Economist
In response, Marsumi shared what he said were official data from the Ministry of Finance. According to these figures, total payments to employees in 2025 reached 551.2 billion Iraqi dinars, approximately 353.9 million dollars.
The economist also detailed that the Parliament employs 2,216 staff, the National Accountability and Justice Commission has 1,051, the Property Claims Commission 937, the Court of Accounts 3,984, the Federal Integrity Commission 2,864, and the Federal Public Service Council 144 personnel.
Political and Administrative Impact of the Dispute
It was reported that the Parliament threatened legal action against Marsumi for allegedly spreading "incorrect information." The dispute brought renewed attention to transparency issues regarding staff structures and high salary payments in Iraqi public institutions.
Marsumi’s statement also raised questions about how public finance data is interpreted and the types of pressures faced by those who bring such data to public attention.
