Iraqi lawmakers, on Monday (March 27), passed controversial amendments to the elections law which are said to have weakened the chances for smaller parties and independent candidates to win seats in future polls. The country has been facing unrest over the issues surrounding its political system which many have called corrupt.
More than 560 protesters and security personnel have lost their lives since 2019 amid the wave of unrest, reported Reuters. The amendments increase the size of electoral districts and reverse key articles passed ahead of the 2021 federal election which would now lead to redrawing of electoral maps to have Iraq return to one electoral district per each governorate.
The bill was passed by a 206-12 vote in the 329-seat parliament, while others were absent during the hours-long session. The vote which began late Sunday had previously been stalled for weeks by several Iraqi political blocs and independent parliamentarians who have rejected this amendment.
Independent MPs who objected to the law, staged a walkout during the previous session, causing it to be postponed over a lack of quorum. The lawmakers opposing the bills did something similar overnight as they began protesting and disturbed the count before security forces escorted them out of the parliament, reported Al Jazeera.
“Large parties controlling parliament plan to consolidate their powers and remove independents. They want to smash us,” said independent MP Hadi al-Salami, as per Reuters. The amendments also come after anti-government protests which demanded fairer election law and the ouster of Iraq’s ruling elite. According to media reports, on Saturday, hundreds of protesters took to the streets of Baghdad against the new election law amendments.
(With inputs from agencies)
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