Voting began in Iraq on Tuesday to elect a new parliament in polls that will shape the country’s political scene for the next four years.
Approximately 21 million voters are eligible to cast ballots to elect members of the 329-seat parliament, which will elect the president and grant confidence to the government.
Polls will close at 6 pm local time (1500 GMT) with no extensions.
The results of the elections are scheduled to be announced within 24 hours of the vote and will be officially confirmed after appeals are examined.
The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) described the turnout as “unprecedented”, reaching 82.52 percent out of 1,313,859 voters.
Fractured political landscape
Observers expect that the post-election political landscape will see a fragmentation in the distribution of votes and seats, making it highly similar to the traditional formula that allocates key government positions to different ethnic-religious groups.
Analysts opine that the increase in the number of candidates in this vote, with the diversity and multiplicity of lists, will make the idea of a “dominant main list” far from reality.
The last legislative elections in Iraq were held on October 10, 2021, two years after widespread protests forced former Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi to resign. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi succeeded him and oversaw the elections.
The current parliament, dominated by Shia parties and blocs, began its term on January 9, 2022, for four years to end on January 8, 2026.
Under Iraqi law, legislative elections must be held at least 45 days before the end of the parliament’s term.
Iraq’s three branches of government are traditionally divided by sect: the presidency goes to Kurds, the prime ministry to Shias, and the parliamentary speaker to Sunnis, ensuring all segments of society are represented in government.
