Iraq: Changes to election law spark divisions | CPT PPP Coverage
Cryptopolytech (CPT) Public Press Pass (PPP)
News of the Day COVERAGE
200000048 – World Newser
•| #World |•| #Online |•| #Media |•| #Outlet |
View more Headlines & Breaking News here, as covered by cryptopolytech.com
Iraq: Changes to election law spark divisions appeared on www.middleeastmonitor.com by Middle East Monitor.
The Iraqi parliament’s vote in favour of restoring electoral laws that were scrapped after the 2019 anti-government demonstrations has reignited chaos and division among Iraq’s politicians, especially Shia parties.
On Monday, the Iraqi parliament endorsed returning the law to the modified Sainte Lague system introduced in 2014, which would make it hard for independent candidates and small parties to compete against more established parties to reach the legislative council.
The amendments are widely rejected by independent politicians, opposition groups who joined the parliament in October 2021 as well as the Sadrist movement led by Moqtada Al-Sadr.
Hundreds of the Sadr movement’s supporters have in recent days protested against the amendments outside the parliament building and blocked roads leading to the heavily fortified Green Zone in the capital, Baghdad.
Protests were also held in the cities of Hilla, Nasiriyah, Najaf, Diwaniyah and Kut on Monday and early morning Tuesday with protesters burning tyres and blocking main roads with concrete.
The amendments; supported by 275 of the parliament’s 329 lawmakers, were reintroduced by the State of Law parliamentary bloc, headed by Nouri Al-Maliki.
The new law removes 83 electoral districts and creates 18 seats, one for each of Iraq’s provinces.
One independent Iraqi Shia politician told the Arab Post news site, on the condition of anonymity, that the system is “corrupt” because it enables the main large parties to control and dominate the elections while crushes small parties and independent candidates.
Provincial council elections are scheduled to take place in October for the first time in a decade.
READ: US Senate votes to repeal authorisation for military force in Iraq, 20 years after invasion
FEATURED ‘News of the Day’, as reported by public domain newswires.
View ALL Headlines & Breaking News here.
Source Information (if available)
This article originally appeared on www.middleeastmonitor.com by Middle East Monitor – sharing via newswires in the public domain, repeatedly. News articles have become eerily similar to manufacturer descriptions.
We will happily entertain any content removal requests, simply reach out to us. In the interim, please perform due diligence and place any content you deem “privileged” behind a subscription and/or paywall.
CPT (CryptoPolyTech) PPP (Public Press Pass) Coverage features stories and headlines you may not otherwise see due to the manipulation of mass media.
First to share? If share image does not populate, please close the share box & re-open or reload page to load the image, Thanks!