Shafaq News – Basra

On Sunday, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) praised the organization of the special voting process for Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections and expressed full support for the ongoing electoral process.

Speaking with Shafaq News, Hussein Marjan, a UNAMI member from Turkiye, emphasized the importance of ensuring a transparent and well-managed voting process. During a visit to a polling center in Basra, he commended the high level of organization observed during the special vote.

On Saturday, UN Special Representative and Head of UNAMI, Mohamed Al-Hassan, expressed confidence in the work of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) and encouraged Iraqis to participate widely and responsibly in the elections.

Special voting for security personnel, defense and service sectors, and internally displaced persons began at 7:00 a.m. Sunday across 809 polling centers and 4,501 voting stations. As of midday, the IHEC reported approximately 60% turnout nationwide, with the Kurdistan Region—Erbil, Duhok, and al-Sulaymaniyah—leading with more than 77% participation.

As for the general election on Tuesday, November 11, roughly 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, including over 3 million in the Kurdistan Region.

Read more: Iraq’s 2025 poll: +21M voters, new law, fading monitors, and fierce bloc rivalries