Iraq Parliament set to meet to vote on election bill, nominate PM: sources

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Parliament is expected to hold a regular session on Tuesday to complete voting on the draft election law, while political forces are still negotiating to nominate an alternate candidate for outgoing Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi.

A parliamentary session last week did not lead to a vote on the election bill, which consists of 50 articles that seek to reform the country’s electoral system.

The draft law indicates the electoral system would change to one that is a mix between direct voting and electoral lists, the latter of which protesters have rejected, preferring the former instead.

Attending members of the legislature approved the first 14 articles of the bill. But as lawmakers disagreed on a vote on articles 15 and 16, MPs from the Kurdistan Region’s parties left the session, breaking quorum.

Read More: Iraqi Parliament adjourns session after vote on articles of draft election law

A parliamentary source told Kurdistan 24 lawmakers would complete the vote on the draft election law, adding that “most articles” would likely be resolved in Tuesday’s session at 1 p.m. local time.

Parliamentary blocs must reach consensus before proceeding to vote on the controversial election law, which could herald an escalation on the ground for protesters.

Iraq has been engulfed in anti-government protests for nearly three months now, where over 500 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and demonstrators, and thousands of others injured.

The protests in Iraq reflect widespread dissatisfaction with the economy, availability of jobs, the dismal state of public services, and widespread government corruption.

Demonstrators demand that the next prime minister be independent and someone who has never held a ministerial position in successive governments.