ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Sweden and the Netherlands on Tuesday voiced support for Iraq’s parliamentary elections, emphasizing the need for a peaceful, credible, and inclusive process that upholds democratic values and international standards.
“We are following developments with interest. We hope that the future government will continue to promote economic development, regional stability, and respect for democratic principles,” Sweden’s foreign ministry told Rudaw.
“The Iraqi parliamentary elections represent an important moment as the sixth election in Iraq since 2003,” the Dutch foreign ministry said, adding that “the Netherlands attaches great value to a peaceful electoral process that is conducive to credible, inclusive, and transparent elections and which adheres to international standards and upholds the rights of all citizens.”
Both countries are members of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) and have supported Iraq’s stabilization through military, financial and humanitarian assistance.
Polling stations for Iraq’s general election opened at 7 am and will close at 6 pm local time on Tuesday. More than 21 million Iraqis are eligible to vote. In total, 31 alliances, 38 political parties, 23 independent candidates, and 56 quota candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minority groups.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, after casting his vote, said Iraq’s next government must make a “serious effort” to implement the Iraqi Constitution of 2005, stressing that its neglect has been the source of many of the country’s problems.
“We are following developments with interest. We hope that the future government will continue to promote economic development, regional stability, and respect for democratic principles,” Sweden’s foreign ministry told Rudaw.
“The Iraqi parliamentary elections represent an important moment as the sixth election in Iraq since 2003,” the Dutch foreign ministry said, adding that “the Netherlands attaches great value to a peaceful electoral process that is conducive to credible, inclusive, and transparent elections and which adheres to international standards and upholds the rights of all citizens.”
Both countries are members of the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat the Islamic State (ISIS) and have supported Iraq’s stabilization through military, financial and humanitarian assistance.
Polling stations for Iraq’s general election opened at 7 am and will close at 6 pm local time on Tuesday. More than 21 million Iraqis are eligible to vote. In total, 31 alliances, 38 political parties, 23 independent candidates, and 56 quota candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minority groups.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, after casting his vote, said Iraq’s next government must make a “serious effort” to implement the Iraqi Constitution of 2005, stressing that its neglect has been the source of many of the country’s problems.
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