Iraq’s 2025 elections: Vote coercion claims spark denial from Iraqi officials
Shafaq News – Baghdad (Updated at 12:03)
Iraqi governmental personnel are reportedly facing pressure from their superiors to cast their ballots for specific lists and blocs in today’s special parliamentary vote.
Several personnel from the Interior Ministry in Baghdad told Shafaq News on Sunday that officers directly instructed them to support certain lists, with some informally warned that failing to comply could affect promotions or career advancement.
Members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Al-Anbar are reportedly under similar pressure. "Orders were issued to report for duty, and participate in the special voting," some members explained to our agency, "but the real purpose was to direct members to vote for a specific candidate representing the PMF."
Some personnel faced threats of dismissal if they did not follow the voting instructions, they added.
Security Media Cell chief Major General Saad Maaan, however, noted that all personnel are treated equally and that voting is conducted freely, guided by personal convictions within a framework of discipline and organization.
Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) media team member Muhannad Al-Sarraf confirmed to our agency that no complaints of coercion have been filed. Field teams, together with domestic and international observers, are monitoring polling sites, and any reported issues are reviewed by specialized committees.
Polling opened today for the special voting phase, allowing security personnel, displaced persons, and prisoners to cast ballots ahead of the general election on Tuesday.
The special voting phase involves 1,313,980 military voters across 809 locations with 4,501 polling stations. In addition, 26,538 displaced persons are voting at 27 sites with 97 stations. Around 170,000 Interior Ministry personnel are deployed to secure polling during both phases.
Read more: Iraq’s 2025 poll: +21M voters, new law, fading monitors, and fierce bloc rivalries
