Iraqi Elections with a Local Perspective

After hundreds of years of non-existence of democracy in Iraq, the second election will take place in March 2010.

The first election was a unique and in some ways alien process to the usual elections held in most countries, by adopting what was called the 'closed electoral list.' In this election, each party (or block) is assigned a number, and electors choose the number of the electoral list they think will represent them. The party elected will then assign its own members of the parliament within the number of seats gained.

At the time, and in their excitement with the new democracy, Iraqis did not give such a method of selecting their representatives much thought, and voted for the block they thought best for them. The vote, of course, was mostly based on sectoral and ethnic bases, which intensified the sectoral division even further and placed a number of members of parliament not known to the people, having been picked by the party or block concerned.

This method of election eventually faced widespread objections, and shouts for change were voiced from most sectors of the Iraqi society, including the highest religious authorities in the country.

After a number of sessions, parliament approved a new election law which was a mixture of the closed electoral list and the individual nomination. This was done by each block or party nominating three names in each electoral area and the freedom for persons to nominate themselves. The new law did not come without some sectoral and ethnic designation, in the sense that certain minorities are assigned a fixed number of representatives. This again will put representatives in parliament regardless of their efficiency and will depend entirely on their sectoral or ethnic affiliations.

It may be worth mentioning here that Iraq has never had any sectoral or ethnic problems until recently. Sunnis and Shiites entered into marriages without problems, and people never asked each other their religion, sect or ethnicity. Until recently, when this became part of the overall political set up in the country.

Interference from neighboring countries, each with their own agenda, is another problem that is anticipated. This may be the most worrisome part of the set up, as it is speculated that funds are being allocated by certain neighboring countries to deviate elections toward their own agendas.

Unless a certain party or block achieves a good majority of representatives in the new parliament, the new set up will be a coalition that will produce a government hopefully strong enough to achieve the desired goals, the first of which are security and essential services.

It is, after all, the Iraqis' greatest wish that the new parliament will have under its dome more professional representatives who will eventually take Iraq to the position where it should be.

Photo: Garza Photography