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Iraqi election commission in spotlight

Although the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq has established itself as a relatively credible and transparent organization, there are concerns that the upcoming parliamentary elections could be plagued by fraud.
A worker from the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) checks boxes containing ballots during vote counting at an analysis centre in Basra, 420 km (261 miles) southeast of Baghdad April 21, 2013. Voter participation in Iraq's provincial election on Saturday was 50 percent of eligible voters, the country's electoral authorities said after poll stations closed. REUTERS/Atef Hassan (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTXYUKT
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Ever since its establishment in 2004, the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IHEC) has maintained a good deal of impartiality in an extremely divided political environment. Although the Sunni political forces accused it of electoral fraud and manipulation after the 2005 parliamentary elections, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s coalition brought up similar accusations after the 2010 parliamentary elections, none of the accusations resulted in a refusal of the election results or in a big constitutional crisis.

The April 2014 parliamentary elections are just around the corner, and electoral campaigns are preceding these. The pressure on the electoral process will mount as we approach the election date, which makes us wonder whether IHEC will be able to withstand in Iraq’s highly factional politics. The IHEC was founded to be an independent and impartial commission with the credibility to manage electoral processes. The United Nations supported the IHEC, and an international expert was a member of the first Board of Commissioners that was established under the authority of the Coalition Provincial Authority. However, the role of the UN dwindled after the commission developed its capacities and skills, expanded its institutions and gained electoral experience. Meanwhile, the Iraqi parliament assigned new commissioners by following the new habit of sectarian, ethnic and factional apportionment, just like most public positions.

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