SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission said there is an Arab and international desire to participate in monitoring early parliamentary elections in Iraq.
IHEC spokesman Jumana al-Ghalai told Iraq’s state news agency INA that the commission had received “many requests” from Arab and foreign authorities and organizations to monitor the elections.
Iraqi Council of Ministers postponed the country’s early elections to October 10 after the IHEC requested the delay in an effort to complete technical preparations.
In July, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi called for early elections to take place on June 6, 2021, which was one of the main demands of anti-government protesters who organized months of mass demonstrations beginning in October 2020.
“Many Arab and foreign countries have expressed their desire and assistance to participate in monitoring the elections,” Ghalai was quoted as saying.
The countries include Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Venezuela, Finland, Philippines, Lebanon, Greece, India and France, according to the IHEC spokesman.
She further said the IHEC had sent invitations to 52 Arab and foreign embassies and 19 international organizations to monitor the elections.
On January 17, Ghalai said more than 25 million people are eligible to vote in the elections, but only 15 million voters had so far registered in the biometric system.
