There is “no need to hold a session to dissolve the parliament,” deputy speaker Bashir Haddad told state media on Wednesday.
Over 170 MPs voted for the dissolution of the parliament on March 31, a formality ahead of an election. “The decision will come into force tomorrow [October 7],” Haddad said.
Iraq will elect a new parliament on Sunday, though security forces will vote on Friday.
There are over 3,200 candidates competing for 329 seats in the parliament. Nine seats are reserved for minorities and there are 67 candidates vying for these spots. At least 25 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, but turnout is expected to be low because of fears of fraud and disillusionment with the political system.
The election is happening ahead of schedule after 2019 protests brought down the government. Demonstrators condemned government corruption and failure to provide basic services. Phrases like “We want a country” are frequently heard during the protests.
The United Nations will have a team of more than 800 people in Iraq to monitor and assist the national election commission for the elections. The European Union also has an 80-member strong monitoring team and the League of Arab States will also have experts on the ground. The massive international presence was requested by Baghdad, part of its attempts to address multiple security concerns and allay fears of fraud, vote-buying, and voter intimidation.
