Iraqi President: Ensuring Fair and Free Election Is a Cornerstone for Achieving Reforms and Overriding Flaws and Maladministration

Iraqi Presidency (Office of the President of Iraq)
Thu, May 20, 2021

2021/05/20
On Thursday, May 20, 2021, the President of the Republic of Iraq, Barham Salih met with Secretary of the Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party (ICP), Raid Fahmi alongside his delegation.
Latest developments related- situations in Iraq were discussed.
President Salih said that Iraq faces an important and critical phase requiring us to have further cooperation and synergy.
Conducting reforms, repositioning political trajectory and overriding flaws and maladministration were urgently needed to meet the legitimate demands of the Iraqi rather than being in the middle of controversial debate and argument, he said.
He emphasized how important it was to maintain security and stability in the country, and work towards building a strong, capable and sovereign state as well as improving the regulation of unlicensed and uncontrolled weapons in the country.
The people's movement is a true grassroots movement that is aware of the current and future challenges which are faced by our country, he said, the popular demonstrations were held as a result of the mistakes that cannot be overlooked such as corruption and maladministration.
The assassinations and the acts of intimidation committed against protestors, activists and journalists is a huge guilt so it should never go unpunished, he added.
Furthermore, the President stated that the country's next federal election is an important and critical election, and it comes after a true national consensus has been reached to believe that the flaws and mistakes should not be continued and should be overridden.
Moreover, voters' confidence in the electoral process has to be restored, and a large turnout at the election should be ensured as it is a peaceful and legitimate course to make the change and undertake the reforms, he underlined.
To do so, optimal conditions for a secure and transparent vote must be ensured, and that it is everyone's top priority to ensure that the Iraqi can express freely their will as they are the source of all the powers and the legitimate basis, President Salih underscored.
He emphasized that from his capacity as the President of the Republic, he works to ensure that the country's next Parliamentary election must be fair, free. Therefore, all the authorities and institutions concerned, political powers and social actors have to cooperate fully to this end.
Electoral fraud or manipulation can have a negative effect on everyone without exception so the free will of the Iraqi should prevail to determine and to shape the future of the people, he added.


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