Iraqis go to the polls Tuesday to elect a new parliament in the sixth such vote since a US-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.<\/p>\n
More than 7,740 candidates, nearly a third of whom are women, will compete for 329 parliament seats.<\/p>\n
Here is a look at the general election and the key players.<\/p>\n
– Turnout fears –<\/p>\n
More than 21 million voters are eligible but there are fears turnout could drop below the 41 percent figure registered in 2021 — the lowest so far.<\/p>\n
An old electoral law will apply to the elections, with many seeing it as beneficial to larger parties.<\/p>\n
Parliament restored the law in 2023, replacing a system installed after 2019 anti-government protests which favoured the emergence of independent candidates.<\/p>\n
While around 70 independents won seats in the 2021 general election, only 75 independents are contesting seats in Tuesday’s vote.<\/p>\n
– Shiite majority –<\/p>\n
Iraq’s Shiite Muslim majority has had the upper hand in Iraqi politics since the overthrow of Saddam’s Sunni Arab-dominated rule.<\/p>\n
Following the 2021 polls, powerful Shiite parties came together under the umbrella of the Coordination Framework to form Iraq’s largest parliamentary bloc.<\/p>\n
The Framework became a ruling alliance of factions with varying links to Iran, which has brought current PM Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to power.<\/p>\n
These groups are running separately in the election, but they will likely reunite afterwards to name a new PM and form a government.<\/p>\n
The main Shiite lists include:<\/p>\n
– The Reconstruction and Development Coalition of PM Sudani, who is hoping for a second term and is expected to score a big win.<\/p>\n
– The State of Law Coalition led by former prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, who despite his controversial past still holds sway in Iraq’s politics.<\/p>\n
– The National State Forces Alliance of senior politician and cleric Ammar al-Hakim, who leads the moderate Shiite camp.<\/p>\n
– The Al-Sadiqun list of faction leader Qais al-Khazali, who the US designates a terrorist but has emerged in recent years as an influential politician.<\/p>\n
– The Badr organisation led by Hadi al-Ameri. It is one of the biggest pro-Iran factions within the Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of former paramilitary units that have been integrated into the regular security forces.<\/p>\n
– The Huquq list, which is close to Kataeb Hezbollah, a pro-Iran armed faction designated as a “terrorist” group by the US.<\/p>\n
Observers predict the main Shiite competition to be between Maliki and Sudani, who launched his political career in 2010 in Maliki’s government.<\/p>\n
– Sunni divide –<\/p>\n
Sunnis are running separately, with the main list belonging to influential former parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi, who leads the Taqadom party (Progress). He is expected to score a big win.<\/p>\n
His main competitor is the Al-Siyada Alliance (Sovereignty) of controversial Sunni politician and US-sanctioned businessman Khamis al-Khanjar, and parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani.<\/p>\n
A third list, Al-Azm alliance (Determination), is led by lawmaker and businessman Muthanna al-Samarrai.<\/p>\n
– Kurdish rivalry –<\/p>\n
Autonomous Kurdistan in northern Iraq has long been dominated by two parties: the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).<\/p>\n
Opposition party New Generation has also emerged in recent years. Its leader Shaswar Abdulwahid was sentenced in September to five months in prison over an old defamation case.<\/p>\n
rh\/jfx\/kjm<\/p>\n
\u00a9 Agence France-Presse<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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