Iraq wraps up early voting as country braces for pivotal parliamentary elections
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani called the vote decisive for the country’s long-term direction, as it comes amid political splintering, voter fatigue, and realignments among key factions.
Iraq completed early voting on Sunday, closing a day that saw security personnel and displaced citizens cast ballots ahead of the nationwide parliamentary election. The Independent High Electoral Commission reported a turnout of 82.42%, saying just over 1.1 million people voted out of the roughly 1.34 million eligible in this phase.
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. and shut their doors at 6 p.m., marking the final major step before Iraq’s 21 million registered voters head to the polls on Tuesday. The commission has prepared 8,703 centers for election day, with 7,744 candidates competing for 329 seats in the Council of Representatives.
The political atmosphere in Baghdad has grown increasingly charged as the vote approaches. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, in a national address before campaigning paused, urged citizens to participate, calling the vote decisive for the country’s long-term direction. He reminded Iraqis that they “are the decision-makers,” encouraging them to approach the polls with responsibility.
The country enters the contest amid political splintering, voter fatigue, and realignments among key factions. Sudani, who enjoys broad public support and is seeking another term, faces resistance from competing Shi’ite power brokers and a governance system built to limit any single leader’s authority.
In the north, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan head into the election cycle still without a government nearly a year after their own regional vote, while Sunni leaders remain split among themselves.
A displaced man from the Yazidi minority votes during special voting, two days before polls open to the public in a parliamentary election, at the Sharya camp, in Duhok, Iraq, November 9, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/ARI JALAL)
Government expands protection of voting centers
The government has expanded security operations ahead of Tuesday’s polling. Military checkpoints dot Baghdad’s main arteries, and tens of thousands of security personnel have been deployed nationwide to protect voting centers. Many citizens say stability remains their foremost concern, along with economic revival and the assertion of national sovereignty.
Younger voters have taken an active role in registration drives and neighborhood outreach, hoping to lift participation after the low turnout recorded in 2021.
