18 September 2012
ERBIL - The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) doesn't represent all parties and peoples of Iraq, so the number of its seats should be increased to ensure fair representation of all Iraqis, a Christian MP stated Tuesday.
Yonadam Yousef Kanna said "we regret to say that the Presidency of the Council of Representatives violated the law of the Electoral Commission, by leaving only one seat for minorities, while the women, Turkmen and Christians were not represented [in the new commission].
"The law of the Federal Court stresses the need to represent all parties in the electoral commission, but the presidency of the Council of Representatives violated this law.
"We [Christians] do not demand the ninth seat at the expense of the minorities, women or Turkmen, but the women should at least have two seats in the commission, and we demand also our right and support the right of Turkmen in this issue."
The MP suggested as solution to "amend the electoral law, and increase the seats of the Commission, to represent all parties and allow them to have an active role in the society."
The Council of Representatives elected eight members of the new commission two days ago and left the ninth seat for the parties to allocate by political consensus.
ERBIL - The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) doesn't represent all parties and peoples of Iraq, so the number of its seats should be increased to ensure fair representation of all Iraqis, a Christian MP stated Tuesday.
Yonadam Yousef Kanna said "we regret to say that the Presidency of the Council of Representatives violated the law of the Electoral Commission, by leaving only one seat for minorities, while the women, Turkmen and Christians were not represented [in the new commission].
"The law of the Federal Court stresses the need to represent all parties in the electoral commission, but the presidency of the Council of Representatives violated this law.
"We [Christians] do not demand the ninth seat at the expense of the minorities, women or Turkmen, but the women should at least have two seats in the commission, and we demand also our right and support the right of Turkmen in this issue."
The MP suggested as solution to "amend the electoral law, and increase the seats of the Commission, to represent all parties and allow them to have an active role in the society."
The Council of Representatives elected eight members of the new commission two days ago and left the ninth seat for the parties to allocate by political consensus.
© AK News 2012
