Iraq PM Pressures Political Blocs to Hold Early Elections

A man casts his vote at Baghdad's Karrada district during the 2018 parliamentary elections. (AFP)
A man casts his vote at Baghdad's Karrada district during the 2018 parliamentary elections. (AFP)
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Iraq PM Pressures Political Blocs to Hold Early Elections

A man casts his vote at Baghdad's Karrada district during the 2018 parliamentary elections. (AFP)
A man casts his vote at Baghdad's Karrada district during the 2018 parliamentary elections. (AFP)

Talks are ongoing in Iraq to hold early parliamentary elections, scheduled by Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi for June 6, 2021.

During the past two days, President Barham Salih met with Kadhimi and former PM Haidar al-Abadi to discuss the polls. Statements from these meetings gave little details, but underscored the need to hold the elections in secure conditions and limit the possession of weapons in the hands of the state.

However, one recent development has raised questions over the possibility of holding the polls on time. The parliament was supposed to meet for an extraordinary session to address the polls, but it was never held.

The parliament is faced with the challenge of approving a new electoral law, which is a point of contention between the political blocs.

Anti-government protests are demanding that several electoral districts be introduced in the polls to allow the election of new figures to the legislature. Traditional political forces, however, are still placing obstacles in amending the law. Many are demanding that each province be divided into two electoral districts, not several ones, in order to ensure that their candidates retain power.

The Kurds, meanwhile, believe that holding elections in contested areas will not guarantee them fair representation. They fear that their seats will be won by non-Kurdish figures.

MP Hussein Arab told Asharq Al-Awsat that amendments have been proposed to the current electoral law.

The proposals include having one parliamentary seat for each electoral district, or having one electoral district for each province or having four parliamentary seats for each electoral district.

He predicted that the elections will be held on time if the electoral law is approved. The Independent High Electoral Commission has already kicked off its preparations to hold them on the scheduled date.

Former MP Haidar al-Malla appeared more skeptical. He told Asharq Al-Awsat that it would be difficult to hold the polls according to the PM’s date, citing four conditions that should be met first.

He said the electoral law should meet the demands of the popular protests, the stage must be set for the electoral commission to perform its tasks, efforts should be exerted to prevent thugs from manipulating the elections and causes of low turnouts must be addressed.

The PM’s aide for electoral affairs, Hussein al-Hindawi, said the old electoral law will be adopted should parliament fail to approve a new one.

He slammed the old law, saying it had failed to secure free, fair and transparent elections.

He urged parliament to approve a new one that is based on the constitution, which safeguards the principles of justice, equality, democracy and freedom of voting and that says that the people are the source of authority.

The electoral law must not be based on the division of shares and achieving personal interests at the expense of national ones, he added in televised remarks.

Hindawi said Kadhimi’s choice to stage the elections in June 2021 was an appropriate and realistic date and efforts should be exerted to ensure they are held as envisioned.



Suspected US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill at Least 4 People Near Hodeidah

A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
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Suspected US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill at Least 4 People Near Hodeidah

A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

Suspected US airstrikes battered Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with the militias saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under US President Donald Trump, targeting the militias over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, has killed at least 65 people, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis.

The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at more than 200.

“Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders,” Leavitt said. “They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored.”

Overnight, a likely US airstrike targeted what the Houthis described as a “water project” in Hodeidah governorate's Mansuriyah District, killing four people and wounding others. Other strikes into Wednesday targeted Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa governorates, the militias said.