Iraqi lawmakers voted yesterday to express their lack of acceptance in the answers provided by the Iraqi High Electoral Commission, who were being accused of helping some candidates to gain an unfair advantage over others seeking election. The chief executive of the Electoral Commission, Miqdad Al-Sharifi, now faces a no confidence vote that could see him lose his job, paving the way for a new commissioner. 119 lawmakers voted to express their dissatisfaction in the commissioner’s answers to the charges that the Commission was responsible for technical failures, counterfeit votes and fraud as well as corruption whilst administering previous elections, Al Jazeera reported.
However, the vote was close, as 118 parliamentarians declared that they were satisfied by the Commission’s answers given during the special session held to interrogate them on these allegations.
The Commission has long faced calls to reform and undergo a change of the guard, with Al-Sharifi and others on the governing council accused of being partisan personalities representing the interests of different parties.
Full Article: Iraq Electoral Commission faces no confidence vote amidst fraud scandals – Middle East Monitor.
