Iraq s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) confirmed on Thursday that it had invited 52 countries to monitor the early parliamentary elections scheduled for next October. IHEC Spokespers.
Populist Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said Wednesday he backed early elections overseen by the UN, in a rare news conference outside his home in the Iraqi shrine city of Najaf.
Iraqi Shia Muslim leader Muqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday called for early elections overseen by the UN, in a rare news conference outside his home in the southern city of Najaf.
Iraq is expected to hold early parliamentary elections this year, a central demand of an anti-government protest movement which erupted in 2019 and backed by al-Sadr’s supporters.
Appearing in a surgical mask and traditional clerical robes, al-Sadr warned against further delays.
“Delaying the elections would be a disaster for Iraq,” said al-Sadr, warning that rival parties would try to rig the vote.
“I don’t want fraud. That’s why I’m asking for UN intervention and supervision,” he said.
Iraq’s Electoral Preparations and Processes Report No. 5
Format
Highlights for December-January
The Council of Ministers (CoM) approves, in consultation with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), a new election date of 10 October.
IHEC presents electoral calendar in a media event attended by the UN Special Representative for Iraq.
The voter registration update and candidate nomination processes start countrywide.
IHEC approves nine regulations governing the upcoming elections, including the candidate registration regulation.
Two companies submit bids to audit the electoral results management IT systems.
Parliament passes legislation to finance the 2021 parliamentary elections.
New election date
A series of meetings, attended by UNAMI, was organised by the IHEC Board of Commissioners to brief senior Iraqi leaders on the progress of electoral preparations. In these meetings, IHEC committed to further review the timelines for each stage of the electoral process,