The move is part of broader preparations to ensure a transparent and efficient election, held every four years in Iraq’s federal parliamentary system. [Getty]
Iraq‘s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC)Â launched a month-long nationwide campaign to update its voter registry ahead of parliamentary elections expected later this year.
The move is part of broader preparations to ensure a transparent and efficient election, held every four years in Iraq’s federal parliamentary system. The elections will determine the 329 members of Iraq’s Council of Representatives, who are responsible for electing the country’s president and approving the appointment of the prime minister.
The process includes renewing biometric registration, issuing new electoral cards for first-time voters—particularly those born in 2007—and allowing citizens to update personal details or change polling stations. The initiative also covers the registration of displaced persons and members of the security forces.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani met with IHEC Chairman Omar Ahmed Mohammed to review the commission’s readiness. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the talks centred on ensuring all logistical and administrative measures were in place to facilitate a smooth electoral process.
The upcoming vote will be Iraq’s first since the political crisis triggered by early elections in October 2021. That election saw influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s bloc win 73 seats, the largest share in parliament. He initially sought to form a “national majority” government alongside Sunni and Kurdish parties, distancing himself from pro-Iran Shia factions.Â
However, in June 2022, Sadr ordered his MPs to resign en masse and announced a withdrawal from formal politics, vowing to pursue reform through religious and social work.
Despite urging his followers to renew their voter registrations, Sadr—leader of the National Shia Movement—has yet to confirm whether his party will participate in the upcoming elections.
In the meantime, Iraqi prime minister al-Sudani is expected to announce his electoral list, signalling a potential shift from his current role as a consensus prime minister to a direct contender with an independent political mandate.
