ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s state-affiliated communications regulatory body on Thursday issued a strict directive to all media outlets, urging full compliance with the electoral silence protocols set to begin on Saturday, as the country’s parliamentary elections are only five days away.
In a statement, the Communications and Media Commission (CMC) said it has “commenced direct coordination” with Iraq’s electoral body, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), to ensure the “success of the parliamentary elections,” adding that the electoral silence period “will take effect on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 7:00 a.m.”
The CMC stressed that during this period, “media outlets are prohibited from broadcasting any election-related coverage for any entities, coalitions, or candidates,” a restriction that will remain in place “until the closing of the last polling station.”
It further clarified that all media outlets must “refrain from airing materials containing any form of election promotion, whether direct or indirect,” as well as “any material intended to insult” competing candidates or blocs. The commission added that “any discussion or media content containing a reference for or against any contestant is considered election campaigning.”
The CMC concluded by urging media organizations to serve as “effective national partners in ensuring the success of the electoral process by adhering to the election silence” and “creating a suitable media atmosphere that allows voters to choose their representatives free from campaigning influence.”
Iraq’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 11.
Electoral campaigning, which began on October 3, will continue until November 8, when the silence period begins - a day before special voting takes place on November 9.
According to the IHEC, around 21.4 million eligible voters have renewed their biometric cards, signaling their intention to participate in the vote.
A total of 31 alliances, 38 parties, 23 independent candidates, and 56 quota candidates will compete for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minority groups.
More than 7,700 candidates are registered to run, with over 39,000 polling stations set to open across 8,703 centers, in addition to special voting and displaced voter stations.