Iraqi government presses ahead with early elections next year
The Iraqi government is striving to make the legal and political preparations for elections in June 2021, amid multiple political and security challenges.
The Iraqi government is preparing for early elections, which has been a top demand in the protests.
The goverment of Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is now moving ahead to plan for voting in June 2021, after finalizing a new electoral law in October. It is currently working on establishing a federal court that would be tasked with overseeing the elections. In cooperation with the parliament, the government is working to secure the funds to finance the elections in order to hold them on time.
Nevertheless, some political parties have expressed fear of electoral fraud, and even rejected the new electoral law and the way electoral constituencies are divided.
Former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's Al-Nasr Alliance hinted that it would boycott the elections if the government does not involve the United Nations in monitoring the polling stations.
