BAGHDAD, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi lawmakers on Monday approved an amended version of the controversial election law that would govern the country's national elections slated for January.
"We congratulate the Iraqi people and say that all Iraqis whether inside or outside the country will be able to vote for the seats of their provinces," Bahaa al-Araji, a Shiite lawmaker, told reporters at a press conference after the parliament session.
Araji's remarks meant that the parliament did not meet the demand of the Sunni Arab Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who vetoed the first version of the election bill.
The lawmakers on Monday only changed the system for distributing seats, forcing the Sunni lawmakers to walk out before the vote on the amendments.
During the past few days, the parliamentary political blocs were holding intense talks in a bid to agree on the bill that was vetoed by Hashimi, who demanded more seats for Iraqis living abroad.
Most of Iraqis living outside Iraq are Sunni Arab Muslims who either fled the country due to the sectarian strife or were part of Saddam Hussein's regime that was toppled by the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.
The Kurdish regional government in northern Iraq has also threatened to boycott the country's elections, protesting the process of the parliamentary seats allocation for all Iraqi provinces.
But the new version of the bill met the Kurdish demands by considering a rate of population growth by 2.8 percent for all the Iraqi provinces, including the northern Kurdish provinces, therefore, the parliamentary seats for the Kurdish provinces will increase.
The new version of the bill still has to be approved by the three-member presidency council again.
Iraqi and U.S. authorities fear that the deadlock over the election law is likely to delay the national elections and hamper the political process in the war-torn country.
BAGHDAD, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq decided on Monday to extend by five days the deadline of holding the national parliamentary elections, previously scheduled for Jan. 16.
"We have sent a message to the presidential council, telling them we need several more days after the previously scheduled date," commission member Qasim al-Aboudi said in a press release. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council welcomed on Monday the Iraqi parliament's decision to amend the country's electoral law, which would allow the polls to take place in January 2010.
Unanimously adopting a presidential statement, the 15-member body expressed its strong endorsement of continuing assistance by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) in preparations for the upcoming elections. Full story
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- With upcoming Iraqi elections marking a crucial step on the road to stability, the United Nations must redouble its long-term commitment to a country that is still threatened by both insurgents and potential conflict between the central government and the Kurdish region, the top UN official for Iraq warned here on Monday.
"Success is far from guaranteed as inside and outside forces continue their efforts to impose an agenda of division and destruction," UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Ad Melkert told the Security Council. Full story
BAGHDAD, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi on Wednesday vetoed part of the controversial election law, demanding more seats in the next parliament for Iraqis living abroad.
Hashimi stressed that he is not objecting the entire law but only the first article concerning the number of seats allocated for the Iraqis abroad, of whom most are Sunni Arabs. Full story
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- The United States said Wednesday that it was disappointed at the veto by Iraq's Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi on an election law, urging Iraqi leaders and parliament to take "quick action" to ensure the election can be held in January.
Early on Wednesday, Hashimi vetoed part of the controversial election law, demanding for more seats in the next parliament for Iraqis living abroad, of whom most are Sunni Arabs. Full story
