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Iraq Election Likely in March: Parliament
Speaker
29.11.2009
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November 29, 2009
BAGHDAD,— Iraq's faltering election will
likely be held in March, the speaker of the nation's
parliament said on Friday, the latest date yet
mooted by a senior official. Iyad al-Samarrai's
remarks come as politicians continued to seek a
breakthrough over a stalled electoral law, without
which an election cannot be held.
"The (election) commission announced it would be
held on January 16th, this is not possible anymore
because there is no law," Samarrai told the
state-funded Al-Iraqiya television channel.
"I believe that the election will be held in March."
- While officials have acknowledged that the January
election date has become untenable because of delays
to the election law, no one has yet mentioned a date
as late as March.
Iraq's constitution requires that the poll be held
by January 31.
The United States has put pressure on Iraqi
politicians to avoid a delay as Washington seeks to
ensure that the pullout of thousands of troops
stationed in the country goes ahead on schedule.
Though lawmakers approved a law regarding the
election earlier this month, it was vetoed by Vice
President Tareq al-Hashemi.
This week, MPs passed an amended version and it is
currently before Iraq's three-member presidential
council, composed of President Jalal Talabani, a
Kurd, and vice presidents Hashemi,www.ekurd.neta
Sunni, and Adel Abdel Mehdi, a Shiite.
Only one of them needs to veto the bill for it to be
sent back to parliament.
If a second veto is used, parliament can overturn it
with a 60 percent majority. An alliance of Shiite
and Kurdish MPs would surpass that threshold with
around 30 votes to spare in the 275-seat assembly.
Copyright, respective
author or news agency,
AFP
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