independent nation. The system of government is a democratic, federal, representative, parliamentary republic. Islam is the state religion and a basic foundation for the country's laws, and no law may contradict the established provisions of Islam. No law that contradicts the principles of democracy may be established. No law that contradicts the rights and basic freedoms may be established. The Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people and the full religious rights for all individuals and the freedom of creed and religious practices is guaranteed. Iraq is part of the Islamic world and its Arab citizens are part of the Arab nation. Iraq is a multiethnic, multi-religious and multi-sect country and Arabic and Kurdish are the official languages. Iraqis are guaranteed the right to educate their children in their mother tongues, such as Turkmen, Chaldean, and Assyrian, in government educational institutions, or any other language in private educational institutions, according to educational regulations. The Turkomen, Chaldean, and Assyrian languages will be official in the areas where they are located. Any region or province can take a local language as an additional official language if a majority of the population approves in a general referendum. Entities or trends may not advocate, instigate, justify or propagate racism, terrorism, "takfir" (declaring someone an infidel), or sectarian cleansing. The "Saddamist Ba'ath Party", regardless of the name that it adopts, is specifically banned. The country has a military and security services under the command of the civil authority, and will not interfere in politics, or be used in the transfer of authority. Militias are prohibited. Military officials may not hold office. The constitution is the highest law of the land. No law may be passed that contradicts the constitution. Rights and freedoms The Constitution defines many rights and freedoms, and incorporates laws in many subject areas into the Constitution. It guarantees the rule of law, equality before the law, equal opportunity, privacy, inalienable nationality and dual nationality, judicial independence, the prohibition on criminal ex post facto laws, right to counsel, a public trial unless the court decides to make it a secret trial, a presumption of innocence, the right to participate in public affairs and the right to vote, to elect and to nominate, freedom from extradition, political asylum, "economic, social and cultural liberties", the right to work, the right to join trade unions, ownership of personal property, eminent domain powers, rights similar