Provincial elections are an important step toward national reconciliation in Iraq, but steps must be taken to ensure that the displaced – both refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) – are able to participate. A significant milestone was reached on 24 September when Iraq’s Parliament adopted a provincial elections law. … But it’s not enough for the law to be in place and for elections to be scheduled.
All Iraqi citizens must be able to vote and the turnout must be sufficiently high to assure that the elections are seen as legitimate. One of the major threats to this legitimacy is the way in which Iraq’s 2 million or so refugees and its 2.8 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) are included in the electoral process. So far, there are no provisions for Iraqis living outside the country to vote. This means that close to 10% of Iraq’s population will be disenfranchised. …
How IDPs’ votes are counted - or actually where they are counted – is another key issue in the upcoming elections. … Given the ethno-sectarian cleansing that has gripped many of Iraq’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious cities, IDP voters could strongly influence the election outcomes. …
It is not only important that IDPs vote and are able to hold their leaders accountable. This is also a test of Iraq’s democracy. It is vital that those most marginalized, and most affected by violence, are included in this process. It’s important for the legitimacy of the elections and is a crucial step in moving toward national reconciliation. Access the full article>>
