The State of Law Coalition, led by Nouri al-Maliki, confirmed today, Monday, that the provincial council elections will take place on the scheduled date announced by the government on the eighteenth of next month. Coalition leader Saad al-Mutalabi stated that "the provincial council elections will proceed as scheduled, and there is no reason to postpone them, especially as the commission has completed all preparations for the electoral process."
Al-Mutalabi added that "calls to boycott the elections will not affect the electoral process, as one entity's opinion cannot be imposed on the majority of political and popular entities, especially since there is a political and popular consensus on conducting the elections and reinstating the provincial councils, given their importance in local governance."
The head of the Hikma Movement, Ammar al-Hakim, warned against calls for non-participation in the provincial council elections scheduled for the 18th of next month. Hakim, during a speech at the electoral conference of the (Kalimah Movement) which is part of the National State Forces Alliance, urged "broad, effective, and conscious participation in the elections," emphasizing that "participation is a right for every individual while non-participation is also a right for each voter."
He cautioned against "calls to prevent people from participating, as this will create unbalanced results in representing social components, especially in provinces with diverse representation." Hakim held those calling for preventing people's participation responsible for the imbalances and instability that would ensue.
Earlier, Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr had called on his supporters to boycott the provincial council elections, asserting that it would reduce their legitimacy both externally and internally. In response to a question from his supporters about participating in the elections, Sadr stated, "One of the most important characteristics of the Sadrist base is its unity, obedience, and loyalty, and this is what I boast about to the nations, thank God. You must adhere to reform even if Muqtada al-Sadr dies."
He added, "Your participation with the corrupt saddens me greatly... Your boycott of the elections brings me joy and frustrates the enemies... and it reduces the legitimacy of the elections internationally and internally and curtails the dominance of the corrupt and subservient over our beloved Iraq, may God protect it from all evil and every corrupt and oppressive individual."
