Sadrist call to change electoral law could push local elections to 2018
Though all of Iraq's parliamentary blocs acknowledge a need to amend the electoral law, there is less agreement on what direction changes should take and no plans to make it happen.
BAGHDAD, Iraq — After demanding a change to the Independent High Electoral Commission, Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr insisted on changes to the electoral law itself before his widely popular movement participates in the upcoming elections. The Civil Democratic Alliance is also calling for change, as it believes replacing the current electoral law is an important step toward ending the traditional sectarian blocs.
During the Friday sermon Sept. 23, Sadr described the electoral law as “unjust” and linked changing it to “changing the miserable corrupt figures to have a reformist majority, through which reform can finally improve Iraq’s bitter situation and save the country from occupation, militias, terrorism and corruption.”
