Security Tight on Eve of Landmark Iraqi Elections
On Thursday, Iraqis vote for a 275-member parliament expected to serve four years, representing the first "permanent" goverment since Saddam Hussein was ousted more than two years ago. Fierce and often dirty campaigning has marked the campaign, and security is tighter than ever.
A U.S soldier patrols the streets of Baghdad; campaign elections posters are seen in the background, Dec. 14. Akram Saleh/Getty Images hide caption
MELISSA BLOCK, host:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Melissa Block.
MICHELE NORRIS, host:
And I'm Michele Norris.
In just a matter of hours, Iraqis will vote for their first permanent government since the US overthrew Saddam Hussein more than two years ago. The campaigning has been fierce and often dirty. There are thousands of candidates representing a multitude of parties. We're going to hear how things look in the northern city of Mosul, where insurgents kept many voters from the polls in the last election. We'll also hear from an Iraqi political scientist who thinks it will take a while to form the new government. First up, NPR's Jamie Tarabay in Baghdad.
JAMIE TARABAY reporting:
It all stops now, all the campaigning, all the threats...
(Soundbite of multiple conversations in foreign language)
TARABAY: ...and the heated discussions over cups of tea. Iraqi political analyst Saad Jawad says this election is very different compared to January, when the Iraqis voted in a provisional government.
Mr. SAAD JAWAD (Political Analyst): There are far more competitors than before. New parties are participating in these elections. And there is also the feeling that there isn't a major party in this election that could win.
TARABAY: Iraq's political landscape has shifted completely from the days when there was only one party in power and only one man in charge.
Unidentified Man: (Foreign language spoken)
TARABAY: At a press conference today, the Iraqi elections committee laid out just how big a change it is. There are more than 7,600 candidates or parties across Iraq. They'll be vying for the 275 seats in Iraq's parliament. In Baghdad alone, the names of 106 candidates will be crammed onto the single-page ballot. And unlike last time, this government will be in power for a full four-year term. That's something 45-year-old Chiteh al-Sadi(ph) hopes will make a difference.
Ms. CHITEH AL-SADI: I'm looking forward to it because we need a government which is a little bit firm, strict and it lasts for more than one year because in one year you can't change the world ...(unintelligible) a lot.
TARABAY: But perhaps the biggest difference this time around may be the Sunni vote. Omar al-Jabouri from the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party explains why.
Mr. OMAR AL-JABOURI (Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party): (Through Translator) They're all Sunnis, and they're willing to vote because they know that the only solution to this dilemma is the elections, so our brothers can enter parliament and restore some balance.
TARABAY: Even in the insurgent-riddled province of Anbar, where Sunni turnout in January was a mere 3 percent, election officials are calling for more ballot boxes. And at least six militant groups say they won't attack polling stations or voters. It's potential proof Sunnis seem more willing than ever before to stop politicking. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, says he thinks Sunni politicians will get their chance to do so.
President JALAL TALABANI (Iraq): (Through Translator) I think there will be a change in the next parliament, and there's a difference for the present National Assembly. First, there will be a bigger Sunni representation, and the big slates who got many votes will have a decrease in the number of votes. I don't think the Kurdish slate will get the same seats in the parliament, nor will the ruling Shiite slate.
TARABAY: The ruling Shiite Alliance may lose even more seats because some Iraqis who voted for them last time are disappointed with their performance in government. They may take their vote to former Premier Ayad Allawi, who's running a secular slate. The alliance has also lost the ringing endorsement it got last time from Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's highest Shiite authority. This time he's told supporters to vote for anyone they think is a strong religious leader.
There are mixed expectations in what the results will be. Either way, medical student Rafi Jassen(ph) thinks it's an important step for Iraq.
Mr. RAFI JASSEN: (Through Translator) So it might be a weak or unstable step, but it is a step forward.
TARABAY: The polls will open at 7 in the morning and close at 5 in the afternoon. The final election results may not be known for weeks. Jamie Tarabay, NPR News, Baghdad.
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