UN Chief: Approving elections law major step

From Alsumaria.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon welcomed approval of Iraq’s provincial elections law which he deemed as a major step forward that should contribute to political normalization. Moon’s spokeswoman Michele Montas affirmed that the United Nations will pursue support to the electoral committee in order to ensure all measures aimed to hold credible elections at the right time accepted by the Iraqi people.

The Iraqi Parliament has approved a provincial election law. This act paves the way for provincial elections within the next 4-6 months. This young democracy if forging ahead slowly but surely.

Update: What’s after approving Iraq elections law?

What are the key points of the new law? The law stipulates to use an open list electoral system where voters can choose specific candidates while the old law refers to a closed list system where they could only select political parties. The new law does not cover the three provinces of Kurdistan. Polls there will be conducted according to a separate law that the region's parliament needs to write and pass.

The new law has some major changes in it. For a good question and answer summarization, click the link above.