Iraq invites 75 states, bodies to monitor elections

An Iraqi man casts his vote at a polling station for the Iraqi parliamentary election in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq on May 12, 2018 [Feriq Fereç / Anadolu Agency]

The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has invited 75 states and bodies to monitor the country’s snap elections slated for 10 October, Anadolu Agency reported on Friday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Jumana Al-Ghalai, spokesperson for the IHEC, explained that that the invitations were coordinated with the Foreign Ministry, noting that they were sent to embassies of Arab and foreign countries, in addition to offices of international organisations.

She also confirmed that representatives from several embassies in the country had visited the IHEC headquarters.

The IHEC’s law allows inviting international observers to monitor the elections to ensure transparency.

In these elections, Iraqis will choose 328 members of the Council of Representatives who, in turn, will elect a new president and prime minister.

“The IHEC is currently continuing its preparations for holding the elections on the scheduled date,” Al-Ghalai affirmed.

On 19 January, the Iraqi government chose 10 October as the new date for the elections to allow enough time for the IHEC to complete preparations.

The last parliamentary elections in Iraq were held on 12 May, 2018.

READ: Iraq’s electoral commission: ‘Election date is certain’

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