Elections “remain the safest way to bring the country into a future that is hoped to be better than the past,” Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani said in a statement released by his office.
The Iraqi people can “bring about a real change in the administration of the state and remove corrupt and incompetent hands” through their votes, he added.
Sistani is the highest Shiite authority in Iraq, known as the marja, and as such his words carry authority. He does not interfere directly in political affairs and in his statement on Wednesday said he doesn’t endorse any candidate or political party, just as he has done in previous elections.
Iraqis will go to the polls in less than two weeks, a year ahead of schedule to meet a demand of protests that began in October 2019 across central and southern Iraq. Voter turnout is expected to be low because of fears of fraud and disillusionment with the political system.
Sistani last year said the elections are of “great importance” and warned against delays in the vote.
"The parliamentary elections scheduled to take place next year are of great importance, and they must be provided with the necessary conditions that give their results a high degree of credibility," read a statement from his office at the time.
There are a total of 3,249 candidates, including 951 women, competing for 329 seats in the parliament. Nine seats are reserved by minorities and there are 67 candidates vying for these spots. At least 25 million Iraqis are eligible to vote.
The government has imposed strict security measures and is promising a fair and clean vote.
The United Nations has a group of 130 international experts and around 600 support staff monitoring the elections. A second observing team of 80 people from the European Union is also observing preparations ahead of the vote and on election day.
