bills · marquee MENA legislation
Bills
Constitutional acts, anti-terror laws, executive decrees, and major reform packages that have shaped MENA political-position space. Most party-position scores reference bills implicitly — Israel's Nation-State Law is part of why Likud scores strongly against pan-Arabism; Saudi Vision 2030 is part of why MBS reads as a modernization outlier. This page is the explicit list, with sources.
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Syria Mar 13 Transitional Constitutional Declaration
Constitution EnactedFive-year transitional constitution issued by Ahmad al-Sharaa establishing the legal framework for post-Assad Syrian governance. Names Islam as the religion of the head of state and Islamic jurisprudence as a main source of legislation.
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Iraq Jan 21 Personal Status Law Amendment (2025)
Law Passed & signedAmendment empowering Iraq's Shia and Sunni religious endowments to handle personal-status matters (marriage, custody) — moving family law away from the 1959 unified civil code.
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Israel Jun 25 Haredi Conscription Bill
Law In committeeGovernment bill responding to a Supreme Court ruling that ended the de facto exemption of Haredi yeshiva students from IDF service. Contested within Netanyahu's coalition.
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Kuwait May 10 Emiri Decree Dissolving National Assembly (2024)
Emergency decree EnactedEmiri decree by Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad dissolving the elected Kuwaiti National Assembly and suspending parts of the constitution for up to four years. Ended Kuwait's tradition of the most vocal elected parliament in the GCC.
- Israel Feb 25
2024 Amendments to Prevention of Infiltration Law
Law EnactedIsraeli legislative amendments extending and intensifying the legal framework for prolonged detention of irregular migrants — primarily African asylum seekers in Tel Aviv. Empowered indefinite administrative detention without judicial review.
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Jordan Aug 12 Cybercrimes Law 2023
Law EnactedReplaces Jordan's 2015 cybercrime law with significantly expanded criminal provisions: vague offenses like "spreading false news," "stirring up sedition," "undermining national unity," or "contempt of religion" online. Sentences include 3 months to 3 years for…
- Israel Jul 24
Reasonableness Standard Limitation Bill
Constitutional amendment Struck downAmendment to Basic Law: The Judiciary removing the Supreme Court's ability to strike down government decisions on grounds of "unreasonableness". Centerpiece of the 2023 judicial overhaul.
- Israel Jul 24
Reasonableness Standard Amendment (Basic Law: The Judiciary, 2023)
Constitutional amendment Struck downThe first piece of the Netanyahu VI judicial overhaul to pass. Removed the Supreme Court's power to strike down government and ministerial decisions on the grounds of 'unreasonableness' — a doctrine the court had used to overturn appointments and policies it j…
- Israel Jul 24
Reasonableness Standard Law — Basic Law: The Judiciary (Amendment No. 3)
Constitutional amendment Struck downAdded §15(d1) to Basic Law: The Judiciary, stripping all courts — including the High Court of Justice — of jurisdiction to review the "reasonableness" of decisions by the government, prime minister or ministers. The first enacted piece of the 2023 judicial ove…
- Israel Jan 4
Judicial Reform Package
Law Struck downSweeping legislative package introduced by Justice Minister Yariv Levin to curtail Supreme Court powers — eliminating "reasonableness" review of executive decisions, giving the Knesset power to override Court rulings with a simple majority, and politicizing th…
- Israel Jan 4
Override Bill (proposed; struck down by post-Oct-7 dynamics)
Law FailedProposed component of the 2023 judicial reform package that would have allowed a Knesset majority of 61 to override Supreme Court decisions, even on Basic-Law-level rulings. Most contentious element of the reform package; central to the protest movement.
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Lebanon Oct 26 Banking Secrecy Reform Law
Law EnactedAmended Lebanon's 1956 banking secrecy law to allow government authorities access to bank records as a precondition for IMF rescue talks.
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United Arab Emirates Oct 3 Federal Decree-Law 41 of 2022 (Personal Status for Non-Muslims)
Executive order EnactedCreates a parallel civil personal-status regime for non-Muslims resident in the UAE — civil marriage, equal-share inheritance, joint custody, no-fault divorce. Applies across all seven emirates. The Sharia-based personal-status code continues to govern Muslims…
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Tunisia Sep 13 Decree-Law 54 of 2022 (Information and Communication Networks)
Emergency decree EnactedPresidential decree issued by Kais Saied criminalizing the production, dissemination, or spread of "false information" or "false news" intended to harm "public security" or "national defense." Five-year prison sentences plus 50,000 dinar fines; ten years if di…
- Tunisia Jul 25
2022 Constitution
Referendum EnactedNew Tunisian constitution adopted by referendum on 2022-07-25 with 94% support but only 30% turnout. Replaced the 2014 democratic constitution with a presidentialist system concentrating executive power in the presidency.
- Tunisia Jul 25
2022 Tunisian Constitution
Constitution EnactedNew constitution promulgated by President Kais Saied after a referendum boycotted by major opposition parties. Concentrates executive power and weakens parliamentary checks.
- Lebanon Jun 15
Capital Controls Law
Law FailedDraft law to formalize withdrawal limits and capital restrictions imposed informally by Lebanese banks after the 2019 financial collapse.
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Saudi Arabia Mar 8 Personal Status Law 2022 (Royal Decree M/73)
Executive order EnactedFirst codification of Saudi family law (marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance) into a written statute. Previously these matters were adjudicated through judges' direct interpretation of Sharia. The law largely codifies prevailing Hanbali doctrine but introdu…
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Qatar Oct 2 Constitutional Amendment for Shura Council Elections (2021)
Constitutional amendment EnactedQatar held the first elections in its history for the Shura Council in October 2021, implementing a provision of the 2003 constitution that had sat dormant for eighteen years. Voters elected 30 of 45 seats; the Emir continued to appoint the other 15. Eligibili…
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Oman Jan 11 Basic Statute of the State (2021 revision)
Constitution EnactedSultan Haitham's revised Basic Statute — the closest thing Oman has to a constitution — for the first time codified a clear line of succession through the male descendants of Sultan Qaboos's father, and established the role of Crown Prince. Previously, success…
- United Arab Emirates Nov 7
UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 27/2020 (Family Law Reforms)
Executive order EnactedSweeping UAE federal decree-law modernizing family, criminal, and civil-status legislation. Decriminalized cohabitation, alcohol consumption by Muslims, and attempted suicide. Strengthened penalties for honor crimes and harassment of women. Allowed expatriates…
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Algeria Nov 1 Algerian Constitutional Reform of 2020
Referendum EnactedNew Algerian constitution adopted by referendum on 2020-11-01 with 66% approval but only 24% turnout — the lowest turnout in any Algerian referendum. Introduced limited reforms (term limits, anti-corruption provisions) without addressing core demands of the Hi…
- Israel Sep 15
Abraham Accords
Parliamentary resolution EnactedSeries of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states signed at the White House on 2020-09-15 (UAE, Bahrain), later joined by Morocco (December 2020) and Sudan (October 2020 - frozen by 2023 civil war). Established diplomatic relations, embassies, …
- Israel Jul 19
Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People
Constitutional amendment EnactedConstitutional Basic Law passed by the Knesset establishing Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. Demoted Arabic from official status to a language with "special status," recognized "Jewish settlement" as a national value, and explicitly tied nation…
- Israel Jul 19
Basic Law: Israel — the Nation State of the Jewish People
Constitution EnactedDeclares Israel "the nation state of the Jewish People" and national self-determination "exclusive to the Jewish People"; names a complete and united Jerusalem the capital; makes Hebrew the language of the state and downgrades Arabic to "special status"; eleva…
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Egypt Aug 16 Anti-Terror Law of 2015
Law EnactedSweeping Egyptian anti-terrorism law signed by President Sisi giving security forces broad powers to detain suspects without charge, fining journalists who contradict official accounts of attacks, and creating special courts for terrorism cases.
- Egypt Mar 13
New Administrative Capital Establishment
Executive order EnactedPresidential decree authorizing the construction of Egypt's New Administrative Capital — a $58B mega-project east of Cairo intended to house government, parliament, and the presidential palace.
- Tunisia Jan 26
2014 Tunisian Constitution
Constitution RepealedTunisian post-revolution constitution adopted on 2014-01-26 after three years of negotiation. Codified Tunisia as a democratic civil state, balanced presidential and parliamentary power, enshrined women's rights and freedom of religion, and won broad cross-ide…
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Yemen Jan 25 National Dialogue Conference Outcomes Document (2014)
Parliamentary resolution EnactedA 1,400-recommendation document produced by 565 delegates over ten months under the Gulf Initiative transition. It proposed a six-region federal state, expanded women's rights, decentralization of resource revenue, and a permanent constitution. The Houthi dele…
- Egypt Jan 18
2014 Egyptian Constitution
Constitution EnactedNew Egyptian constitution adopted by referendum on 2014-01-14/15 with 98.1% approval (38.6% turnout). Replaced the 2012 Morsi-era constitution, restored military prerogatives (10-year shield for the defense minister position), banned religious political partie…
- Egypt Jan 18
Constitution of the Arab Republic of Egypt (2014)
Constitution EnactedDrafted by a 50-member committee after the July 2013 removal of Mohamed Morsi and ratified in a January 2014 referendum with 98.1% approval and 38.6% turnout. Replaced the 2012 Morsi-era constitution. Strengthened the military as an autonomous institution (mil…
- Jordan Sep 25
Jordanian 2011 Constitutional Amendments
Constitutional amendment EnactedSet of 42 constitutional amendments adopted in response to the Arab Spring. Established a Constitutional Court, restricted the use of State Security Court, and introduced electoral reforms — though without fundamentally shifting executive power away from the m…
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Libya Aug 3 Constitutional Declaration of August 2011
Constitution EnactedIssued by the National Transitional Council weeks before Qaddafi was killed, this is the document that has governed Libya in the transition that has never ended. It is short — 37 articles — and was meant as a 20-month bridge to a permanent constitution. Fiftee…
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Morocco Jul 1 Moroccan Constitution of 2011
Constitutional amendment EnactedNew Moroccan constitution adopted by referendum on 2011-07-01 in response to the February 20 Movement protests. Nominally devolved some powers to the Prime Minister (now to be chosen from the largest party) and the parliament. Recognized Berber/Amazigh as an o…
- Syria Apr 21
Repeal of the 1963 State of Emergency Law
Executive order RepealedBashar al-Assad's decree lifting the 48-year-old emergency law that had been in force since the Ba'athist 1963 coup. Announced as part of his initial concessions to the protest movement.
- Iraq Oct 15
Iraqi Constitution of 2005
Constitution EnactedPermanent constitution adopted by Iraqi referendum on 2005-10-15. Established a federal parliamentary republic with a power-sharing system: Prime Minister Shia, President Kurd (largely ceremonial), Speaker Sunni. Recognized Kurdish autonomy via the Kurdistan R…
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Sudan Jan 9 Comprehensive Peace Agreement
Parliamentary resolution EnactedSudanese peace agreement signed in Naivasha, Kenya on 2005-01-09 ending the second Sudanese civil war (1983-2005, ~2 million dead). Created a six-year power-sharing arrangement between the Khartoum government and the southern SPLM, with a referendum on souther…
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Palestine May 29 Palestinian Basic Law (2003, as amended)
Constitution EnactedThe interim constitution of the Palestinian Authority. The 2003 amendment created the office of prime minister, which Yasser Arafat had resisted — international pressure had wanted a check on the presidency, and Mahmoud Abbas became the first PM. The Basic Law…
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Bahrain Feb 14 Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain (2002)
Constitution EnactedReframed Bahrain from emirate to constitutional kingdom. Restored an elected lower house (the Council of Representatives) after a 27-year suspension following the 1973 constitution's dissolution; created a 40-member appointed upper house alongside it. The king…