Iraq conducts initial provincial council elections in 10 years
Date
12/18/2023 3:01:58 AM
(MENAFN) voting commenced in Iraq on Monday for the first provincial council elections in a decade, with the ruling Shiite Muslim alliance poised to maintain its dominance despite a boycott by populist cleric Moqtada Al-Sadr, its primary Political competitor.
The outcome of these elections will set the stage for the parliamentary elections scheduled for 2025, which will determine the nation's power dynamics, particularly as groups with affiliations to Iran have gained political influence in recent years.
The last local elections occurred in 2013 but were postponed due to the war against Daesh militants, who had seized significant portions of Iraq before being ultimately defeated.
Sadr's Shiite rivals, who thwarted his attempt to form a government following his success in the 2021 parliamentary polls, are anticipated to gain control of many local councils, particularly in the predominantly Shiite southern provinces.
This outcome would further solidify the power of the ruling Shiite alliance, known as the Coordination Framework, which has close ties to Iran. The alliance is already the largest bloc in parliament after members of Sadr's party withdrew.
The elections, taking place in 15 of Iraq's 18 provinces, aim to select 285 council members responsible for appointing influential provincial governors and overseeing local administration.
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