Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Polls Open in Watershed Iraqi Election

Thousands vie for seats in biggest vote since fall of Saddam

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 30, 2009 8:23 AM CST

(Newser) – The polls are already open for this weekend's provincial elections in Iraq, the nation's first since it became a fully sovereign nation after the fall of Saddam. The Sunni minority is participating, reports the Christian Science Monitor, and Iraqis can vote for more than 14,000 candidates vying for 440 seats. After the ballot fraud that marred the 2005 election, this time the UN has provided substantial electoral aid, from 20 million ballots printed outside Iraq to special ink that stains voters' fingers purple.

One of the most interesting strands of this election is the fate of Kurdish politicians, who triumphed in 2005 but may struggle now that Sunnis are no longer boycotting the vote. The poll is also a test for PM Nouri al-Maliki, who faces a national election later this year. Despite security fears the mood remains upbeat. "The first election was a practice run for this," said one politician. "This is a first step toward building a democratic state."

[Images (5)]

[Videos (1)]

An Iraqi policeman stands guard outside a polling center as election officials carry in voting booths in Mosul, Iraq, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009. (AP Photo)

Salah al-Rekhayis, a candidate for provincial council, left, helps puts up his own campaign posters in Zubayr, Iraq. (AP Photo/ Nabil al-Jurani)

An Iraqi policeman, right, casts his vote in the country's provincial elections in Mosul. (AP Photo)

An Iraqi dips his finger in purple ink before casting his vote in the provincial election in Karbala, Iraq, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Ahmed al-Husseini)

Men cheer at a campaign rally for candidates in the upcoming provincial elections in the Shiite city of Najaf. (AP Photo/Alaa al-Marjani)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Women make up a significant minority of candidates in this weekend's election. (TheNewYorkTimes)

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

US Suspects al-Qaeda Behind Syria Bombings

Group may be looking to exploit the chaos

(NEWSER) - Al-Qaeda's Iraq branch is moving into the chaos in Syria, and is responsible for two recent bombings and most likely yesterday's bombing in Aleppo , US officials tell McClatchy . Intelligence reports seem to back up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad assertions—disputed by the opposition—that al-Qaeda has been involved in the 11-month uprising. More»

With US Gone, Iraq Explodes

Violence rampant thanks to political crisis

(NEWSER) - Iraq has experienced a surge in violence since US troops left the country last month, with 327 people dying in explosions or assassinations by the Iraqi Ministry's official count. Bombings have hit Baghdad neighborhoods , Shiite pilgrims , and Sunni police, among other targets. "They are not arbitrary attacks. They are sending messages that security is not under control," one Baghdad analyst tells the Washington Post . In part, they reflect the sectarian political crisis that erupted as soon as the US left. More»

Another Iraq Suicide Blast Kills 53 Shiites in Basra

Victims were marking a holy day

(NEWSER) - Iraq's Sunni-Shiite tensions worsened yet again today when a suicide bomber killed at least 53 Shiite pilgrims marking a holy day, reports Reuters . The bomber, dressed as a police officer, struck at a checkpoint in Basra. No claims of responsibility yet, but it bears the hallmarks of Sunni-dominated al-Qaeda, which is trying to capitalize on the sectarian chaos, notes the New York Times . More»

Despite Maliki Crackdown, US Still Selling Arms to Iraq

Iraqi PM hasn't followed through on his end of agreement

(NEWSER) - The US is charging ahead with an $11 billion arms deal with Iraq, and has even delivered some of the promised fighter jets, tanks, and weapons—even though Nouri al-Maliki has blatantly failed to follow through on an agreement intended to ensure he would not marginalize his Sunni rivals. Indeed, Maliki has moved aggressively to cement his power since the US left Iraq, leading some diplomats to express concern about the sale, the New York Times reports. More»

Turkey Kills 35 Civilians in Attempted Hit on Rebels

Kurdish officials claim the dead were actually teen cigarette smugglers

(AP) - Turkey's air force attacked suspected Kurdish rebel targets across the border in Iraq, but the roughly 35 people killed were teenage smugglers mistaken for guerrillas. A ruling party spokesman said today the victims "were not terrorists," but people smuggling cigarettes into Turkey from Iraq. He added that officials are investigating possible intelligence failures that led to the strikes. He expressed regret for the deaths and suggested the government would compensate the victims. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Polls Open in Watershed Iraqi Election