The Iraqi government removed the ban on Baath party officials to run for public office.  The Baath party was the official party of Saddam Hussein.  The bill that may pass into law though could force many of the previously employed Baath workers into early retirement with severance packages, but some could regain their posts.

However, the highest ranking officials under Saddam Hussein would be locked out because of their previous contribution to Saddam’s rule.  It would reduce the number of Baath officials prohibited from government posts to only 3,500 from the 30,000 who were previously prohibited from working in the government.

The change is the first benchmark that would be passed to allow more of a power share of the government between the Shiites and Sunnis and lesson the tensions.

For more information, please see:

New York Times- Iraqi Parliament passes allows former Baath officials to take government positions- 13 January  2008