Campaigning kicked off on Friday for Iraq’s parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11.
Over 7,000 candidates are running for the 329-seat legislature against a backdrop of disputes, strained relations and regional turbulence.
The Independent High Electoral Commission has said that campaigning must end on November 3, followed by a week of media silence before the elections are held.
Over 21 million elections are eligible to vote, but it seems that a sizeable number will boycott the polls, which may impact the outcome.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, speaking on Independence Day on Friday, said that since he assumed his post, he has sought to pursue key goals: keenness on Iraq and its constitution, protecting the country’s sovereignty and wealth and strengthening the economy.
“We have worked tirelessly for Iraq to be a top priority and to assume the regional and international position that it deserves,” he added.
The PM will run in the elections as part of the Construction and Development coalition, the country’s largest in the polls.
A victory will ensure that he can be appointed as PM for a second term. His ambitions are however being met with deep disputes among Iraq’s Shiites.
Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, who is running in the Baghdad district, stressed that the legislature is the people’s legal representative.
Parliament is keen on playing its legislative role to ensure the state of law, protect people’s rights, support construction and development, and achieve justice, he declared.
He urged a strong turnout for the elections, “which is the best way to consolidate democratic values, inject new blood in the political process and give youths and the rising generation the role they deserve in decision-making.”
Sudani and Maliki
While Sunnis and Kurds may have a smooth electoral process, Shiites, represented by the ruling pro-Iran Coordination Framework coalition, are likely to have turbulent ride given the deep divisions among them and Tehran’s weakening grip over Iraq and its Shiites.
Tensions between Sudani and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki are also no secret. Sudani had emerged from the latter’s Dawa party and has since distanced himself from it.
The PM’s supporters have high hopes he will secure victory in the elections, citing his “accomplishments in Iraq and beyond during his term in office in the past three years.”
His opponents, however, claim that his victory is unlikely because “more and more political powers are opposed to his election.”
Sudani is leading the largest political coalition in the elections that has attracted several lawmakers, even some from Maliki’s own coalition.
For his part, Maliki stressed on Friday the need for competition between candidates to be honorable and within “national fraternal lines”.
In a statement, he urged a large turnout, saying elections are a national duty and slamming attempts to use public funds in electoral campaigns.
Members of Maliki’s coalition have accused Sudani’s coalition of using state funds for their campaigns, claims that have been denied by activists.
Amid these preparations stands influential cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his decision to boycott the polls.
Head of the Center for Political Thinking in Iraq Dr. Ihssan Shmary told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Sadr has not distanced himself from the political scene, but he has chosen to boycott the elections, ending speculation that he may support any party.”
“With this move, Sadr has effectively severed ties with the Coordination Framework,” he added.
