Iraqi Calls for Rolling Elections Soon

From the AP.

Iraq's deputy prime minister said Thursday that he favors a series of "rolling" local elections as part of a crucial push to bring power to the nation's provinces, and that the first votes are likely to begin soon. Barham Saleh said the idea was part of the Provincial Powers Act, which must be ratified by Iraq's parliament, and that passage of the legislation was vital. The bill is among key pieces of legislation that are aimed at reconciling Iraq's rival ethnic and sectarian communities but which have been stalled for months. "This is a very crucial piece of legislation that will define the character of the Iraqi state," Saleh, an Iraqi Kurd, told a panel on peace and stability at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Saleh said a draft of the legislation "involves devolving power from the central (government) to the provinces, which is crucial for local democracy."

More political progress is taking place in Iraq.

For a full read, click here.