Iraqi Electoral Commission asks Parliament to approve earlier date for 2018 elections

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHERC) on Tuesday announced their request for the approval of an earlier date to hold parliamentary and provincial elections in the country.

The IHERC, at the request of the government, asked the Iraqi Parliament to set May 12 as the new date for legislative and provincial council elections.

Last month, during a weekly press conference, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi informed the media that elections would be held earlier than the initial date which was set for May 15.

“The cabinet reiterated that provincial and parliamentary elections would be held on May 12, 2018,” Abadi said. “There is no reason for delaying the elections.”

Sunnis in Iraq complain the country is unprepared to hold elections as most of the displaced persons have not been able to return to their homes in newly liberated areas.

It is also unclear whether the voting will take place in all provinces across Iraq, especially those that are still struggling to return their displaced persons and rebuild infrastructure.

Meanwhile, several Iranian-backed Hashd al-Shaabi militia leaders have indicated their desire to run in the elections, despite Abadi asserting that political factions with armed groups would not be “allowed” to participate.

So far, the Kurdistan Region has not decided if it will participate in the upcoming elections.

Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have increased since the Region held an independence referendum on Sep. 25, 2017, which won overwhelming support for secession from Iraq.

Baghdad refused to recognize the vote and instead responded by imposing collective punitive measures against Kurdistan, including the use of military force in disputed areas.