The panel of speakers included:

·        Dr. Imad Al-Asaad: Journalist and media professional (Moderator)

·        Mr. Ali Al-Sharifi: Secretary-General of the Wathiqoun Movement

·        Mr. Baligh Abu Gallal: Member of Al-Hikma National Movement

·        Mr. Miqdad Al-Sharifi: Former member of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC)

·        Dr. Riyadh Al-Masoudi: Researcher and academic

Mr. Ali Al-Sharifi opened the discussion by stating that he does not see the people's interest being served by the new law and has many questions about its articles. He questioned whether the previous vote for multi-member districts was a result of fear or a mistake, leading to the current adoption of a single-district system. He also added that other vital laws affecting public life have not been dealt with as swiftly as the electoral law.

Mr. Baligh Abu Gallal countered that the electoral law was debated for more than six months and that political forces in parliament were invited to participate, but did not respond. "I personally invited several groups, and they refused even to attend the discussion," he said. Mr. Abu Gallal added that there is no constitutional text preventing the combination of the laws for the Council of Representatives and the provincial councils. He also outlined the advantages of the Sainte-Laguë method, arguing it provides greater representation, ensures a voter's voice is represented at both the list and candidate levels, encourages alliances that unify electoral programs, strengthens national identity, and reduces the phenomenon of wasted votes.

Mr. Miqdad Al-Sharifi explained that when a governorate is adopted as a single electoral district, many complications are avoided. "We now have many governorates with unregulated settlements that have spread informally, and the voters residing in them are from various electoral districts far from their homes," he noted. "This leads to a decrease in participation in these settlements and residential complexes that have proliferated."

Finally, Dr. Riyadh Al-Masoudi argued that the political forces should have respected the Constitution, specifically Articles 49 and 122, which necessitate the legislation or amendment of separate laws for the Iraqi Council of Representatives and for provincial council elections. "The process of merging the two laws was for well-known reasons," he stated. "In every electoral cycle, a new political map emerges that differs from the previous one. Consequently, these political forces strive to find a law that aligns with their size. Therefore, whenever a certain law is legislated, they know it will guarantee them a specific number of seats."