Original title: Iraq’s new National Assembly election ends, low turnout rate may become a hidden worry Source: CCTV News Client
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The 10th is the polling day for the Iraqi parliamentary elections. Late last night, Beijing time, the voting has ended. The election results are expected to be announced 24 hours after the voting ends.
According to data released by the Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq, 3,249 candidates from 167 political parties, political entities or independents will run for 329 seats in the new National Assembly. The number of registered voters in this election is approximately 24 million, and there are 8273 voting centers in Iraq.
At a polling station in the center of the capital, Baghdad, the Iraqi military and police are cooperating to take on the task of defending the surrounding area. In the month before the general election, the Iraqi military carried out multiple clearances against extremist organizations. On the 8th of this month, members of the military and police systems have completed voting through special procedures, allowing them to devote themselves to security and order maintenance on the polling day.
Khalil, the person in charge of polling stations: The election process is very smooth and has not encountered obstacles. We welcome the arrival of voters to ensure that they can exercise their rights smoothly.
Headquarters reporter Fu Xinri:Compared with the security situation, what attracts more attention is the turnout rate in this general election. Because in the last general election in 2018, the turnout rate was as low as 29%, that is, only 3 out of 10 Iraqis were willing to vote. Judging from the situation at this polling station, this general election did not show any significant improvement over the 2018 general election.
This election is the fifth National Assembly election held in Iraq after the United States brazenly launched the Iraq War in 2003. In accordance with the new National Assembly election law passed in December 2019, the election of the country’s 18 provinces is divided into 83 electoral districts, and for the first time independent candidates are allowed to stand for election.
In July 2020, Iraqi Prime Minister Kadimi announced that the National Assembly elections originally scheduled for 2022 would be advanced to June this year. Earlier this year, the Iraqi government announced that it would postpone the election to October 10.
(Edit Zhao Yuqi)
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