Iraqi PM pledges state support for successful local elections

Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Monday pledged that all state institutions, including civilian and security forces, would fully support the upcoming elections for provincial and district councils, scheduled for December 18.

Sudani made those remarks during a meeting with the head of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), Humam Hammoudi, and the head of the Electoral Administration, Saad al-Hilli, at his office in Baghdad.

Al-Sudani was briefed on the IHEC's preparations for the elections and the progress it has made in meeting the basic requirements for the electoral process. He stressed the importance of holding free, fair, and transparent elections that meet the aspirations of the Iraqi people.

The December 18 elections will be the first time that Iraqis will vote for provincial and district councils since 2013. The elections are seen by many as a key test of Iraq's democratic progress under al-Sudani's government after a tumultuous period that followed the October 2021 election.