Iraq’s Parliament Close to Agreeing on Changes to New Electoral Law

An Iraqi man enters a voting booth at a polling station in the southern city of Basra during the May 2018 election. AFP file photo
An Iraqi man enters a voting booth at a polling station in the southern city of Basra during the May 2018 election. AFP file photo
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Iraq’s Parliament Close to Agreeing on Changes to New Electoral Law

An Iraqi man enters a voting booth at a polling station in the southern city of Basra during the May 2018 election. AFP file photo
An Iraqi man enters a voting booth at a polling station in the southern city of Basra during the May 2018 election. AFP file photo

Iraqi Speaker Mohammad al-Halbousi discussed this week with heads of parliamentary blocs the need to approve changes to the new electoral law and prepare the necessary conditions to hold the elections.

Halbousi met with heads of parliamentary blocs and the legal committee in the presence of First Deputy Hassan al-Kaabi to discuss the final version of the electoral law, which was approved by the legislature last year.

The meeting discussed the electoral districts, creating the necessary conditions for holding the polls, and the need for the government to provide full support to the Independent High Electoral Commission to enable it to hold free, and fair elections, a statement from Halbousi’s office said.

The Speaker also met Friday with head of the Sadrist Movement’s politburo Nassar Al-Rubaie.

They stressed the need to expedite the approval of the electoral law’s final text.

Late last year, Iraq's parliament approved the new electoral law, a key demand of protesters to have fair elections. However, an agreement should be finalized on setting the number and geographic map of electoral districts, before the law is sent to the President for approval.

“The electoral law has been approved by parliament. However, the issue of electoral districts has been postponed for discussion at a later stage,” said MP Yehya al-Muhammadi, head of the parliamentary legal committee.

He told Asharq Al-Awsat that Article 15 of the law stipulates that a governorate should be divided into several electoral districts.

Muhammadi said that Halbousi discussed with heads of parliamentary blocs and the legal committee the steps that should be taken after the approval of the electoral law.

“They also discussed the ability of the government to hold the parliamentary elections, including the issue of limiting weapons to the state and the UN role in monitoring the polls,” he said.

Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi, who took office on May 7, has repeatedly said that holding legislative polls is his top priority.



UK Police Arrest Two Men over Alleged Hezbollah Links

A protester holding a flag of Lebanon's Hezbollah during a demonstration in Istanbul, Tuesday, May 15, 2018. AP Photo/Emrah Gurel
A protester holding a flag of Lebanon's Hezbollah during a demonstration in Istanbul, Tuesday, May 15, 2018. AP Photo/Emrah Gurel
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UK Police Arrest Two Men over Alleged Hezbollah Links

A protester holding a flag of Lebanon's Hezbollah during a demonstration in Istanbul, Tuesday, May 15, 2018. AP Photo/Emrah Gurel
A protester holding a flag of Lebanon's Hezbollah during a demonstration in Istanbul, Tuesday, May 15, 2018. AP Photo/Emrah Gurel

British counter-terrorism police said on Thursday they had arrested two men accused of being linked to the banned group Hezbollah, saying their investigation involved alleged activity both overseas and in Britain.

Detectives from London's Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) arrested a 39-year-old man in north London on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed group, preparing acts of terrorism and being involved in funding for the purposed of terrorism, Reuters said.

A second man, 35, was arrested in west London on suspicion of being a member of a banned organization.

"Our investigation remains ongoing, but I hope that these arrests show we will take robust action against anyone here whom we suspect as being involved in terrorist activity regardless of whether their activity is focused here in the UK or elsewhere," said commander Dominic Murphy, head of the CTC.

Police said the investigation related to the Iran-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah which Britain outlawed in 2019 when it classified it as a terrorist group. There was no immediate threat to the public, they said.

The two men were released on police bail until mid-July.