Al-Araji: No early elections in June

Iraq 12:35 PM - 2021-01-17

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Former Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Bahaa Al-Araji confirmed that some political blocs want to postpone the early elections to another date.

 

Al-Araji said in a tweet on Twitter: "What resulted from the last meetings is, no early elections in June, and what delays the announcement of the new date is the aim to hold the responsibility of this postponement on the Electoral Commission."

 

He pointed out that "some blocs want the date to be close to the month of Muharram, in order to benefit from emotional mobilization, and in any case, the date will be announced soon."

 

The Iraqi Electoral Commission had announced in a statement earlier that, despite the health and economic challenges that affected its work's stability, it is technically fully prepared to hold free and fair elections in accordance with international standards on June 6,2021, or at any other date provided on condition that the new date does not exceed next September.

 

Iraq has decided to hold early elections after Iraqis erupted nationwide demonstration in October 2019 demanding for an overhaul of the political system in the country, where the protests lasted for several months and resulted in the death of hundreds from protestors and security forces. 

 

Difficult, but not impossible to hold upcoming Iraqi elections on time

 

In a special statement to PUKmedia, an analyst and observer of political affairs, Ali Al-Baidar said that holding early elections on the date set by the government is a very difficult issue, but it is not impossible.

 

Al-Baidar added that the process of holding the elections on time depends on the political will, indicating that many political blocs do not want to hold the elections on the specified date for fear of losing the election, adding: "The political blocs are discussing the elections without taking into account the wishes of the Iraqis.

 

The political analyst indicated that political weapons are one of the tools to obstruct the electoral process, and that the awareness of the Iraqis has become greater than the maneuvers of some political blocs that have changed their addresses with others that are compatible with the demands of the masses.

 

Al-Baidar asserted that boycotting the elections is in the interest of the power parties that have an organized audience capable of making them win, indicating that effective participation in the elections is the beginning of reform change and the process of updating the voter register is the first step for that.

 

 

 

PUKmedia