2025 elections: Iraq extends voter registration and political alliances deadline

Shafaq News/ Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has extended the voter registration deadline to June 15 to increase participation in the country’s parliamentary elections set for November 11.

This follows an earlier move when the IHEC also pushed back the deadline for political alliances to register, setting May 22 as the new cutoff.

The IHEC is advancing with preparations under the current legal framework, focusing on updating the voter registry, which now includes around 30 million registered voters. While the commission strives for a smooth election process, it faces mounting pressure to resolve past challenges, including allegations of voter fraud, suppression, and low turnout, ahead of the November vote.

The registration extension also comes amid ongoing debate about Iraq’s current electoral law, established under the Third Amendment No. 12 of 2018. The law faces scrutiny, with critics, including civil society groups and independent political factions, expressing concerns that it centralizes power among established parties. These critics argue that the system limits political diversity and reduces opportunities for new reformist candidates.