Shafaq News – Baghdad

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Tuesday urged Iraqis to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, warning that low turnout would carry serious consequences for the country’s democratic process.

During a ceremony in Baghdad marking the International Day of Democracy, al-Sudani stressed that the November elections will be held on schedule and “under the protection and sponsorship of the Iraqi state,” adding that his government has provided full support to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to ensure a transparent and secure vote, the sixth since the 2003 political transition.

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“We will not allow anyone to disrupt this democratic practice, and we will confront those who attempt to do so,” the premier declared. He underscored that “each vote is a trust placed by the citizen,” cautioning that abstention would open the door for “corrupt alternatives that put personal interests above those of the people.”

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