World Affairs
A brief guide to Iraqi democracy
Published 31 January 2005
Iraq elections -
Who's voting? All Iraqis over 18 may vote. The electoral roll is based on UN "oil-for-food" distribution lists drawn up in the 1990s. Iraqis living in 14 foreign countries will also be able to cast votes.
What they are voting for? A 275-member National Assembly whose task is to draft a constitution. Also elected will be 18 provincial assemblies and a Kurdish parliament in the north.
How they are voting 5,000 polling stations open on 30 January from 7am to 5pm and voters' hands will be marked with indelible ink to prevent repeat voting. An electoral commission, working closely with the UN, is responsible for running the elections.
Who can they vote for? More than 120 parties, each presenting up to 275 candidates. Every third name must be a woman's. Most prominent are the United Iraqi Alliance, the main Shia coalition; the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq, a conservative religious party; the Kurdish parties; and the Communist Party.
How the elections will work Iraq is a single constituency and the results are meant to be exactly proportional. If a party gets 10 per cent of the vote it gets 10 per cent of the seats.
Who is likely to win As 60 per cent of Iraqis are Shia, the United Iraqi Alliance is likely to win most seats. Sunnis are either boycotting the election or will find it hard to vote because of the violence.
How voters will be protected Shops and offices will close for three days, borders will be sealed and only licensed vehicles will be allowed on the roads. US army strength has also been boosted from 138,000 to 150,000.
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