Shafaq News – Baghdad

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said on Friday that the November 11 elections belong to the people, stressing that their votes are the cornerstone of Iraq’s democratic process.

In a televised address, al-Sudani positioned the vote within a broader political timeline, linking it to last year’s provincial council elections—the first in a decade—and recent parliamentary polls in the Kurdistan Region, while highlighting Kirkuk’s return to the ballot box after nearly 20 years as a pivotal moment.

He asserted that voter participation would send a strong message to the international community about Iraq’s political direction.

Al-Sudani is leading the newly formed Reconstruction and Development Alliance (Al-Ima’ar wal Tanmiya) into the 2025 race, a coalition of seven political factions that includes Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) chief Falih al-Fayyadh, former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, tribal figures, and independents.

The alliance is fielding 446 candidates across 12 provinces, with al-Sudani running for a parliamentary seat in Baghdad.

Read more: Iraq’s 2025 Elections: Shiite giants clash for Soul of the House