The election is a key test of the national reconciliation and political process in the country.
Iraq has been struggling to maintain political stability, improve security and speed up reconstruction with newly struck deals on developing its 10 large oil fields with foreign firms in the following years. This entails an efficient, stable government and national unity.
On March 7, Iraq held a successful parliamentary election, the second of its kind since the 2003 Iraqi war.
However, more than five months on, Iraq is still adrift in a political vacuum, as no breakthrough is in the offing yet in negotiations on forming a new government that is expected to integrate different religions, ethnic groups and political parties.
Special Report: Situation in Iraq
