Baghdad: Iraq is preparing to hold parliamentary elections on November 11, with 21 million people eligible to cast their ballots, an Iraqi spokesperson said Tuesday. Jumana al-Ghalai, spokesperson for Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), told Anadolu that 7,754 candidates will be competing in the elections, including 2,250 women, for 320 parliamentary seats, of which 83 are reserved for women. The commission has designated 8,703 polling stations to accommodate the eligible voters on election day.

According to Anadolu Agency, more than 1.8 million biometric cards have been distributed to voters through 1,079 registration centers, as part of the preparations for the elections. These parliamentary seats are distributed across 18 electoral districts, with each governorate serving as a separate district. Baghdad leads with the highest number of seats at 69, including 17 reserved for women, followed by Ninawa with 31 seats, including 8 for women. Other notable distributions include Basra with 25 seats and Dhi Qar with 19, both allocating a specific number of seats for women candidates.

Regarding voter eligibility, Ghalai stated that 21,404,291 Iraqis are eligible to vote in the parliamentary polls. Baghdad ranks first in voter count with 2,373,963, followed by Ninawa with 2,102,420, while Muthanna has the fewest eligible voters at 510,867. The biometric card system is a new voting mechanism aimed at preventing fraud, containing all necessary voter information such as personal photos and fingerprints. These cards will be confiscated immediately after voting to prevent misuse and returned to voters after 72 hours.

Ghalai further mentioned that the election commission plans to take over schools designated as polling stations on November 5, preparing them with all necessary logistical materials by November 10. The commission is proceeding according to its operational schedule, with only a few steps remaining to ensure the elections occur on time. Under Iraqi law, elections must be held at least 45 days before the current parliamentary term ends, which is set to conclude on January 8, 2026.

The current parliament, which began its term on January 9, 2022, is dominated by Shia parties and movements. The last legislative elections took place on October 10, 2021, following widespread protests that led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi. Mustafa Abdul-Latif Al-Kadhimi succeeded him to oversee the 2021 elections. These early elections marked a significant turning point in Iraq, being the first under a provincial electoral district system since the US occupation in 2003.

Iraq’s three branches of government follow a traditional sectarian division: the presidency is reserved for Kurds, the prime ministership for Shias, and the parliamentary speaker for Sunnis, ensuring representation for all societal segments in the government.