Iraq Elections

As resurgent Sunni attacks threaten long-term security in Iraq, the U.N. Security Council has called on Iraq’s political parties to show “national unity” ahead of elections.  The U.N. is concerned that “inside and outside forces continue their efforts to impose an agenda of division and destruction,” as such the U.N. asked that “all political blocs and their leaders in Iraq to demonstrate true statesmanship during the election campaign.”

Marina Ottoway argues the new election law is important because it will allow elections to be held before the parliament is set to expire on January 31 and because the law does not openly embed confessionalism.  Despite this, “the election law is no panacea, and it guarantees a messy post-election aftermath. As in the past, the problem of Kirkuk has simply been postponed rather than solved.”

The Daily Star has an AFP article with more on the Iraqi Presidential Council’s decision to ask parliament to rework the electoral law in order to give greater representation to Iraqis outside the country.  The new election law has reduced seats available to minorities and outside Iraqis from 15 percent to 5 percent.  According to the article the estimated 1.5 million Iraqis living abroad are expected to boost the Sunni election showing.

In light of the proposed changes, AP reports that the Kurdish political leadership has threatened to boycott elections unless the Kurds receive more seats in parliament.  Kurdistan Regional President Massoud Barzani said the current division of seats is “an attempt to reduce the number of Kurdistan Region representatives in the next Iraqi parliament and diminish their achievements.”