ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s electoral commission announced on Sunday that it has invited dozens of countries and international organizations to observe the upcoming parliamentary elections.
“Invitations have been extended to 90 external Arab and foreign entities, including embassies, consulates, and organizations interested in electoral affairs, with the aim of participating in monitoring the upcoming electoral process,” al-Hassan Qabas, a member of the Independent High Electoral Commission’s (IHEC) media team, told Rudaw.
Qabas added that last week the online registration for local observers ended.
The European Union is among the foreign monitors of the November 11 legislative polls.
European Commission Vice President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas said last month that Iraq had requested EU support “in the form of independent observers for these elections, which we are now confirming.”
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani on Saturday received the head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Mohamed al-Hassan. The two discussed the elections and Baghdad-UN cooperation.
According to IHEC, 31 alliances, 38 parties, 23 independent candidates, and 56 quota candidates will compete for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minorities.
The upcoming polls mark Iraq’s sixth legislative election since the 2003 ouster of the Baath regime.
Mushtaq Ramadan contributed to this article.