The Associations Law was a law in Iraq, which legally regulated political parties. The law was promulgated on January 1, 1960. Prior to the adoption of this law, political parties had been banned since 1954. The law came into force on January 6, 1960 (Army Day).[1][2]
According to the law, a party applying for legal status at the Ministry of Interior should have at least ten members (all Iraqi citizens) and at least 50 supporters. Article 4 of the law stated that an association registered under the law could not have goals that were incompatible with the independence and national unity of Iraq or the republican and democratic character of the state.[1]
On January 9, 1960, four political parties applied for registration under the new law; the National Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Iraqi Kurdistan, main Iraqi Communist Party (i.e. the Itihad ash-Sha'ab group) and Daud as-Sayegh's splinter Iraqi Communist Party. On February 2, 1960 two more parties applied for recognition, the Islamic Party and the Hizb ut-Tahrir. On February 11, 1960 the Republican Party applied for recognition and on June 29, 1960 the National Progressive Party submitted its application. The parties awarded recognition were as-Sayegh's Communist Party, the National Democratic Party, the Democratic Party of Iraqi Kurdistan (all on February 10, 1960), the Islamic Party (April 26, 1960) and the National Progressive Party (July 29, 1960). The mainstream communists, Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Republican Party remained illegal entities.[3] The mainstream Communist Party tried to register itself a second time on February 15, 1960, under the name 'People's Unity Party', but were again turned down on February 22, 1960.[4]