Independent MP unveils new proposal for minorities seats in provincial polls

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: An independent lawmaker on Wednesday unveiled a parliamentary proposal to adopt open nomination for each minority in its region in order to ensure their guaranteed seats in the provincial elections. “Political blocs believe opening nominations for minority nominees might give them more seats than the cap previously decided upon,” MP Ezzialdin al-Doula told IraqiNews.com. “The denomination unable to obtain the required number for a seat will be offered a seat through counting the highest votes.” MP Hashem al-Taie from the Parliament’s commission of regions and provinces on Sunday said representing minorities met snags over defining religious Shabak and Yazidi ethnicity. “Open nominations can guarantee seats for denominations in local councils and achieve justice in the voting, along with a broader participation for all denominations,” MP al-Doula highlighted. Iraq’s Parliament on September 24 approved a long-delayed law to allow provincial elections to go ahead, but lawmakers scrapped a key clause that would have guaranteed seats for Christians and other minorities. Iraq’s Parliament has set a January 31 deadline for elections in 14 provinces, excluding the three Kurdish provinces and the disputed oil-rich province of Kirkuk. Leaders of Iraq’s minority’s communities claimed the law did not provide for their representation in the councils that would be formed after the vote. AM (S)/SR 1