BAGHDAD, Iraq: Iraq plans to hold legislative elections on January 30 next year, deputy speaker of parliament Khalid al-Attiya said on Monday, in what will be a key test of support for Premier Nuri al-Maliki.
"At the request of the speaker of parliament, the Supreme Court has fixed January 30, 2010 as the date for the next legislative elections," Attiya said.
The last parliamentary vote in Iraq took place on December 15, 2005, but it was largely boycotted by Sunni Arabs, resulting in an easy victory for Shiite parties, which formed a ruling coalition under the United Iraqi Alliance.
The decision to hold fresh parliamentary elections was not without controversy however, as some MPs demanded the legislative term be extended, a move which would have delayed the elections by several months, said Attiya.
Parliament chief speaker Iyad al-Samarrai was forced to ask the Supreme Court to intervene in order to resolve the issue.
The polls come after allies of the Shiite Maliki under the State of Law of Coalition swept to a resounding victory in a provincial vote held on January 31 this year that gave the premier a popular mandate.
Just over half of eligible voters cast their ballots in the largely trouble-free provincial elections, which were seen as a test of the country's progress since the US-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein from power more than six years ago.
A steady legislative process is seen by the United States as crucial to the fledgling democracy's future as the American military prepares to withdraw troops from cities next month ahead of a complete withdrawal by 2011.
In his first visit to Iraq as US president, Barack Obama last month emphasized the need for Iraq to have strong institutions as well as the importance of parliamentary elections.
The provincial polls held in 14 of the country's 18 governorates elected councils members for a four-year term to manage local spending and elect provincial governors and their two deputies.
Maliki's State of Law list, with 126 seats won the highest tally for a single list from the 440 contested and appointed governors and provincial council leaders in Baghdad, and in Basra and Diwaniyah to the south.
His list also appointed governors in the mostly Shiite provinces of Karbala, Wasit, Muthanna and Maysan as well as the council leader in Najaf.
source:TOI
"At the request of the speaker of parliament, the Supreme Court has fixed January 30, 2010 as the date for the next legislative elections," Attiya said.
The last parliamentary vote in Iraq took place on December 15, 2005, but it was largely boycotted by Sunni Arabs, resulting in an easy victory for Shiite parties, which formed a ruling coalition under the United Iraqi Alliance.
The decision to hold fresh parliamentary elections was not without controversy however, as some MPs demanded the legislative term be extended, a move which would have delayed the elections by several months, said Attiya.
Parliament chief speaker Iyad al-Samarrai was forced to ask the Supreme Court to intervene in order to resolve the issue.
The polls come after allies of the Shiite Maliki under the State of Law of Coalition swept to a resounding victory in a provincial vote held on January 31 this year that gave the premier a popular mandate.
Just over half of eligible voters cast their ballots in the largely trouble-free provincial elections, which were seen as a test of the country's progress since the US-led invasion ousted Saddam Hussein from power more than six years ago.
A steady legislative process is seen by the United States as crucial to the fledgling democracy's future as the American military prepares to withdraw troops from cities next month ahead of a complete withdrawal by 2011.
In his first visit to Iraq as US president, Barack Obama last month emphasized the need for Iraq to have strong institutions as well as the importance of parliamentary elections.
The provincial polls held in 14 of the country's 18 governorates elected councils members for a four-year term to manage local spending and elect provincial governors and their two deputies.
Maliki's State of Law list, with 126 seats won the highest tally for a single list from the 440 contested and appointed governors and provincial council leaders in Baghdad, and in Basra and Diwaniyah to the south.
His list also appointed governors in the mostly Shiite provinces of Karbala, Wasit, Muthanna and Maysan as well as the council leader in Najaf.
source:TOI
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