Many of Iraq’s political parties have been opposed to early elections in 2021. They have put up various roadblocks to try to delay them as a result. The latest is taking the election law to court.
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law and the Fadhila Party are appealing the election law. The two claim that there were irregularities and violations when parliament passed the election law. They have taken their case to the Federal Court. There was another report in Al Hurra that some parliamentarians have appealed the election law over the new 83 voting districts created. That might be one and the same case.
When Premier Mustafa Kazemi came into office in May 2020 he promised early elections which was a demand of the protest movement. He originally said that would happen in June 2021, but then that was pushed back to October because the parties did not register as a delaying tactic. That came at a time when there were a slew of reports in the Iraqi media that the ruling elite did not want voting to occur. That was because they want to hold onto power and are afraid they might be voted out of office. Since they control he political system they are unlikely to be seriously challenged. The election law which is now in court for instance was written to benefit them via rules that make it difficult for new parties to qualify and other measures. Still, that hasn’t stopped them from trying to slow things down.
SOURCES
Al Hurra, “Parliamentary challenge puts the date of the Iraqi elections to the test,” 5/3/21
Jiyad, Sajad, “Protest Vote, Why Iraq’s Next Elections Are Unlikely To Be Game-Changers,” London School of Economics Middle East Centre, April 2021
Al Mada, “The date of the elections is at stake again .. Parliamentary blocs file appeals against the law,” 5/4/21
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