Draft election law: UN calls for improvements to meet public demands
20 November 2019
Baghdad, 20 November 2019 – Electoral reform has been a central demand of many peaceful protesters. In recent weeks, Iraqi authorities have sought to find legislative solutions that address public calls for credible, free and fair elections. This process is Iraqi-owned and Iraqi-led, as it must be.
United Nations electoral experts have provided additional technical support, including by sharing international best practices.
The draft electoral legislation - currently under review by the Council of Representatives - requires improvements to meet public demands.
The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, noted that: “It is the prerogative of the Council of Representatives to examine this legislation as it sees fit. However, I would like to urge the parliamentarians to act on their constituents’ legitimate demands for credible, free and fair elections. I sincerely hope that their choices will reflect the public appetite for a new and different way of conducting politics, restoring the hope of many Iraqis in a brighter tomorrow. The United Nations stands ready to assist in the development of electoral legislation which fully meets the aspirations of the Iraqi people”.
Samir Ghattas
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