Iraqi Elections: on time, no law amendment

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Parliamentary Legal Committee confirmed, on Saturday, that it had not received an official request to amend the Parliament Elections Law.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Muhammad Al-Ghazi, told Shafaq News Agency, "There is no official action or request from neither the political blocs, nor the government nor the High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to amend the Parliament Elections Law," adding that "the elections will be held on time.”

For its part, IHEC’s Board of Commissioners decided, on Saturday, to accept the applications of those wanted to withdraw from running the upcoming parliament elections.

The Board explained in a statement that the withdrawal will be accepted, whether from a single candidate or within an alliance until the 20th of June.

On the other hand, a security source said, "The Intelligence Service had arrested Najat al-Jubouri, a candidate on the list of Jumhuriya Party headed by Ahmed al-Jubouri (Abu Mazin), on various charges, including fraud."

According to the Source, "Al-Jubouri was also arrested during the 2018 elections, but political parties intervened to release her."

The next elections are scheduled to be held on the tenth of next October, according to what the Iraqi Council of Representatives voted to set in a session held on January 19, 2021, amid government pledges to hold fair elections away from the power of arms.

It is noteworthy that Iraq’s cabinet decided to postpone the general election to Oct. 10 from June.

Early elections were a key demand of anti-government protesters who staged mass demonstrations that started in October 2019. 

Iraq’s Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said the decision to set a new date to hold an early contest was made to give IHEC enough time to be fully prepared to hold fair and transparent elections.