BAGHDAD/ISTANBUL

Millions of Iraqis will go to the polls on Tuesday to elect a new parliament, a vote that will shape the country’s political scene for the next four years.

According to the electoral commission, a total of 7,743 candidates are competing for parliamentary seats, including 2,247 women.

Under Iraq’s electoral law, no less than 25% of parliamentary seats, at least 83, are reserved for women, along with nine seats allocated for national or religious minority groups at the provincial or national level.

Approximately 21 million voters are eligible to cast ballots in Tuesday’s vote to elect members of the 329-seat parliament, which will elect the president and grant confidence to the government.

The capital Baghdad ranks first in the number of registered voters, with 2,373,963 eligible voters, according to the electoral commission.

Voting will start at 7 am local time (0400GMT) on Tuesday and will end at 6 pm (1500GMT) with no extensions.

Results of the parliamentary elections are scheduled to be announced within 24 hours of the vote, and will be officially confirmed after appeals are examined.

Improved security

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani said on Saturday that no curfew would be imposed on election day to facilitate movement and ensure citizen participation.

The decision signals improved security conditions, in contrast to previous elections that saw curfews, such as in 2014 and 2018, or stringent security measures like border and airport closures and restrictions on interprovincial travel, as was the case in the 2021 elections.

The Interior Ministry earlier announced a flexible security plan involving 159,000 officers and personnel to ensure a smooth conduct of the elections.

A special voting was held on Sunday for hundreds of thousands of security personnel and internally displaced citizens.

The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) described the turnout as “unprecedented,” reaching 82.52% out of 1,313,859 voters.

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 Oct. 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 Jan. 9, 2022, for four years to end on Jan. 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.