Iraqi Elections Set for March 6
VOA News 08 December 2009
Iraq has announced that general elections will be held on Saturday, March 6, seven weeks after the originally scheduled date.
Iraqi officials had earlier expressed support for holding the elections on February 27, the date proposed by the United Nations. But some opposed holding the vote in late February because it falls too near a Shi'ite mourning ceremony (Arbaeen) that involves a pilgrimage to Karbala.
This vote is seen as critical to Iraq, from both a democratic and a security standpoint. The United States has linked the pace of its military withdrawal from Iraq to the elections.
U.S. commanders have said a planned U.S. drawdown of combat forces is due to begin 60 days after the vote.
General elections were originally set for January 16, but politicians could not agree on a required electoral law. That much-delayed law was not passed until late Sunday, and the Iraqi constitution says it must be in place at least 60 days before the vote.
The electoral law took shape during intense debate over how much parliamentary representation should be given to Iraq's minority groups.
Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi had demanded revisions to give his Sunni minority group a greater political voice. Hashimi, a member of the three-person presidency council, vetoed an earlier version of the law that did not meet this condition. He said the newly passed law addresses his concerns.
The White House said Monday the revised election law shows Iraqis are committed to resolving their differences peacefully. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the United States is ready to help Iraqis find political solutions to ease conflicts and form a united country.
A spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday said Mr. Ban commends Iraqi leaders and lawmakers for overcoming their differences and reaching a compromise.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
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