Iraqi parliamentary election

Iraqi parliamentary election
Name	Iraqi parliamentary election
Country	Iraq
Type	parliamentary
Previous election	2018 Iraqi parliamentary election
Next election	202X Iraqi parliamentary election
Seats for election	329 seats in the Council of Representatives
Majority seats	165
Election date	various

Iraqi parliamentary election

Iraqi parliamentary elections determine membership of the Council of Representatives and the composition of cabinets under Iraq's post-2003 constitutional framework. These elections have involved complex interactions among figures such as Nouri al-Maliki, Haider al-Abadi, Muqtada al-Sadr, and Barham Salih, as well as institutions including the Independent High Electoral Commission and international actors like the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq.

Background

Iraq's electoral history after the 2003 invasion of Iraq has been shaped by the 2005 transitional polls under the Coalition Provisional Authority, the 2005 constitutional referendum that produced the Constitution of Iraq, and successive contests in 2005, 2010, 2014, 2018, and subsequent cycles. Key features include power-sharing arrangements among leaders such as Jalal Talabani, Iyad Allawi, Saddam Hussein's overthrow, and regional dynamics involving Kurdistan Regional Government, Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, as well as cross-border influences from Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia. Post-2003 security challenges from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Al-Qaeda in Iraq, and militia formations like the Popular Mobilization Forces have affected electoral participation and displacement issues tied to Nineveh, Anbar Governorate, and Mosul.

Electoral System

The electoral framework is set by the Electoral Law of Iraq and administered by the Independent High Electoral Commission. The Council uses open-list proportional representation across multi-member constituencies corresponding to Iraq's governorates and reserved seats for minorities including Mandaeans, Yazidis, and Assyrian and Chaldean Christians. Voter registration systems interact with the national identity card infrastructure and the management of internally displaced persons from regions like Tikrit and Karbala Governorate. International standards from organizations such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and recommendations from the United Nations Security Council have been invoked to reform procedures, ballot security, and recount mechanisms.

Political Parties and Alliances

Major blocs have included the State of Law Coalition, Sadrist Movement, Fatah Alliance, Kurdistan Democratic Party, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Progressive Democratic Gathering, Iraqi Communist Party, Taqaddum, and coalitions led by figures like Adil Abdul-Mahdi and Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Arab Sunni parties such as Ataa Movement and regional actors like Supreme Committee for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq have competed with sectarian coalitions. External patronage and transnational ties involve groups like Hezbollah-aligned networks and clerical references to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and Ayatollah Khamenei. Kurdish lists coordinate across Erbil and Duhok with municipal interests in Kirkuk and oil-related debates involving the South Oil Company and Iraq National Oil Company.

Campaign and Issues

Campaigns have centered on themes concerning reconstruction of Mosul, countering Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, corruption scandals tied to procurement and revenue from the Ministry of Oil, public service delivery in Basra, water scarcity affecting Marsh Arabs and southern provinces, and unemployment among youth in Baghdad. Security incidents during campaign periods have involved armed groups including factions within the Popular Mobilization Forces and clashes in disputed territories administered by the Kurdistan Region. International election observation, media coverage by outlets in Baghdad and Erbil, and protests referencing the October 2019 Iraqi protests and demands for reform have shaped messaging from leaders like Muqtada al-Sadr and Qais al-Khazali.

Results and Seat Allocation

Outcome calculations rely on district-level tallies, quota systems, and seat allocation methods supervised by the Independent High Electoral Commission. Major winners historically have included lists led by Muqtada al-Sadr, the Fatah Alliance associated with commanders of the Popular Mobilization Forces, and Kurdish coalitions featuring the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. Seat distribution has affected appointments to high offices such as the President of Iraq, the Prime Minister of Iraq, and the Speaker of the Council of Representatives. Election disputes have been adjudicated through Iraq's Supreme Court of Iraq and the Iraqi High Judicial Council, with recounts and legal challenges referencing provisions in the Constitution of Iraq.

Government Formation and Aftermath

Post-election negotiation processes involve cross-sectarian bargaining among blocs, nominations by the President of Iraq for a prime minister-designate, and confidence votes in the Council of Representatives. Coalition talks have invoked accords resembling power-sharing deals seen in previous formations involving figures such as Nouri al-Maliki, Haider al-Abadi, Barham Salih, and technocrats from ministries like Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Interior. Outcomes influence security policy towards Kurdistan Regional Government relations, oil export arrangements with Basra-based companies, and international ties with United States and European Union partners. Political stalemates have periodically led to caretaker administrations and protests recalling the December 2019 Iraqi protests, while successful government formation has enabled budget approvals by the Council of Representatives and legislative agendas referencing anti-corruption bodies and reform commissions.

Category:Politics of Iraq