BAGHDAD, Dec 25 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi parliament approved a new election law, as part of the efforts to meet the demands of the anti-government protesters.
After the vote on the law, the Parliament Speaker, Mohammed al-Halbousi, announced that the new election law was approved.
According to the new law, each of the country’s 18 provinces will have several electoral districts, with one lawmaker to be elected per 100,000 people.
The new law makes each lawmaker to represent a specific electoral district, instead of groups of lawmakers representing entire provinces as in the past.
The law will allow voters to elect individual legislators instead of choosing from parties’ lists, which could prevent the parties’ lists from sweeping all seats of the provinces.
On Dec 18, the parliament lawmakers failed to pass the election law, due to disputes over certain articles.
Changing the election law and the Independent High Electoral Commission were part of the demands of the ongoing protests.
Mass demonstrations have continued, in parts of Iraq since early Oct, demanding comprehensive reform, fight against corruption, better public services and more jobs.
