Latest news with #ElectionLawNo.12
Shafaq News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
IHEC: +29 million Iraqis eligible to vote in elections
Shafaq News/ Voter registration and biometric data updates will continue through June 15 as part of preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11, Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Saturday. While 1,079 registration centers remain open across the country, operating daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., including weekends and holidays, IHEC spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai told Shafaq News that over 29 million Iraqis are currently eligible to vote, but the final count will depend on the ongoing data verification process. Al-Ghalai highlighted that under Election Law No. 12 of 2018, biometric voter cards are mandatory to participate in the election, noting, 'So far, 1,508,189 citizens have updated their records.' She further clarified that IHEC has dispatched mobile teams to public institutions, organized awareness campaigns, and rolled out nationwide media outreach across TV, radio, and digital platforms urging voters to verify their information.
Shafaq News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Patriarchal Society: Can Iraq's women break political barriers in 2025?
Shafaq News/ As Iraq prepares for its parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11, 2025, the road to political participation remains fraught with challenges for Iraqi women. Despite a constitutional quota that guarantees women 25% of the seats in parliament, deep-seated societal norms, political exclusion, and legislative loopholes continue to undermine the potential for meaningful representation. Legal Rights vs. Practical Realities On paper, Iraqi women have equal legal footing with men in seeking parliamentary office. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) confirms that both genders must meet identical eligibility criteria: Iraqi nationality, full legal capacity, a minimum age of 30, and at least a bachelor's degree. Additionally, candidates must have a clean legal record—free of corruption charges or final convictions related to financial misconduct or abuse of public funds. 'The law also prohibits candidacy for anyone still serving in military, security, or judicial positions,' IHEC spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai told Shafaq News, reiterating the non-discriminatory framework outlined in electoral regulations. However, experts and rights advocates say the practical experience of female candidates tells a different story—one marked by character defamation, digital harassment, and institutional bias. Securing the 25% Quota Under the amended Election Law No. 12 of 2018, women are guaranteed at least 83 of the 329 seats in Iraq's Council of Representatives. These seats are distributed proportionally by province, based on population. Yet the implementation of this quota has done little to shield women from the cultural and political forces arrayed against them. ' Halabja will remain part of Al-Sulaymaniyah's electoral district in the upcoming elections,' said Hassan Hadi Zayer, an IHEC media official. Granting Halabja its own seat requires a legislative amendment—one that has yet to materialize, further reflecting the sluggish pace of electoral reform. IHEC member Saad al-Rawi also pointed out that the latest population census has not been factored into district allocations due to the lack of updated legal mechanisms. Beyond the Ballot: Social and Political Obstacles Many female candidates face persistent societal resistance once they enter the political arena. 'Smear campaigns begin almost immediately after women announce their candidacy,' said Insam Salman, director of the Isen Organization for Human Rights in Iraq, in an interview with Shafaq News. According to Salman, these attacks are often personal and disproportionately affect women who lack tribal protection or backing from influential political parties. 'Iraqi society is still fundamentally patriarchal and views leadership roles as male domains. A woman's political ambition is often seen as a challenge to male authority,' she explained. This gendered hostility not only deters women from entering politics but also erodes their chances of sustaining meaningful political careers. While many women enter parliament under the quota, they are frequently sidelined from leadership roles within parliamentary committees or executive bodies. Salman emphasized that addressing these challenges requires more than symbolic representation, 'We need legislative deterrents to prevent defamation and to protect women in the public sphere. But more importantly, we need a cultural shift that normalizes female leadership.' Structural Imbalance in Lawmaking This exclusion of women has broader implications for governance. Political analyst Nawal al-Moussawi told Shafaq News that Iraq's legislative process continues to suffer from gender and social imbalances, particularly in laws intended to protect women, children, and marginalized communities. 'There's a deep-rooted distortion in how laws are crafted and who benefits from them,' she said. 'Dominant political blocs often push legislation that reflects narrow ideological interests, sidelining issues that affect half the population.' Al-Moussawi cited repeated attempts to amend the Personal Status Law—a key legal framework governing marriage, divorce, and inheritance—as examples of how conservative forces have attempted to roll back women's rights under the guise of legal reform. Describing the current (fifth) parliamentary session as 'a clear failure,' she warned that public confidence in democratic institutions is waning. 'There is growing disillusionment among civil society actors and ordinary citizens. If nothing changes, we risk repeating this failure in the next term—or perhaps something worse.' With elections drawing near, the conversation around women's political participation has gained urgency. Yet for many advocates, the 25% quota is no longer seen as a sufficient benchmark. Experts stress that fostering inclusive governance requires both institutional reform and societal transformation.
Iraqi News
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Political blocs demand Al-Sadr reverse his boycott of the elections.
Baghdad-INA In light of the ongoing preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections, political calls are increasing to urge the leader of the Shiite National Movement, Sayyed Muqtada al-Sadr, to reverse his decision to boycott the elections and participate in the political process. Several representatives and political leaders have emphasized that the absence of the Shiite National Movement could lead to an imbalance of power within Parliament, Which may affect the stability of the political scene in the country. In this context, the Independent High Electoral Commission continues its preparations to hold the elections in accordance with the amended law. Commission spokeswoman Jumana al-Ghallab confirmed to the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that "the commission is proceeding with the process of updating the voter registry, as the number of registered voters has exceeded 29 million." She continued, "The commission is continuing its work to conduct the parliamentary elections in accordance with the amended and effective Election Law No. 12 of 2018, and has begun preparations for these elections in accordance with international standards." The leader of the Shiite National Movement, Sayyed Muqtada al-Sadr, announced yesterday evening, Thursday that he would not participate in the electoral process. Sayyed Al-Sadr's statement came in response to a question about the role of the members of the Shiite National Movement in the midst of preparations for the upcoming elections.
Shafaq News
09-03-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
IHEC: +28 million Iraqis eligible to vote in elections
Shafaq News/ More than 28 million Iraqis (+60.7%) are eligible to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2025, Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Sunday. According to IHEC statistics, the number of eligible voters has increased, with Baghdad's Rusafa district having the highest count, followed by Karkh, Maysan, Nineveh, Anbar, and Dhi Qar. Earlier, the commission revealed that nearly one million Iraqis born in 2007 have now reached the legal voting age of 18. It also reaffirmed that, under Iraq's amended Election Law No. 12 of 2018, parliamentary elections must be scheduled at least 45 days before the end of the current legislative term. In comparison, the number of eligible voters for the 2021 elections stood at 25,139,375, while the 2018 elections saw 24,352,253 eligible participants.
