AhlulBayt News Agency: Around 1.3 million Iraqi voters went to the polls yesterday, Sunday (November 9). This special voting took place two days before Iraq’s general parliamentary elections, which will be held on Tuesday of this week (November 11).
The voting process continued until 6 p.m. local time, after which the ballot boxes were electronically sealed. The Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq had previously announced that 809 polling centers, including 4,501 ballot boxes, were prepared across the country for the special voting day.
In this round of elections, more than 7,744 candidates from 31 electoral coalitions ran for seats in Iraq’s sixth parliamentary term. The parliamentary election is considered the most important election in Iraq because, in addition to choosing 329 members of parliament, the Iraqi parliament is responsible for electing the president during its first session.
The elected president is also required, in the parliament’s first session, to appoint a candidate for Iraq’s prime minister from the largest parliamentary bloc to form the government. After selecting the members of their cabinet, the prime minister must present the ministers to parliament for a vote of confidence. If the vote of confidence is granted, the government can begin its official work for the next four years.
The 2025 Iraqi parliamentary elections, held with the extensive presence of international observers and active participation of grassroots groups, became a test for political independence and an end to foreign interference. In this election, the three main currents—Shia, Sunni, and Kurdish—competed through various coalitions and parties, each playing a significant role in shaping the country’s political future.
Resistance groups, including the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), with their broad social base and slogans against foreign interference, have managed to gain significant public trust. Their campaign focused on supporting political independence, domestic security, and combating corruption.
Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of the Kata’ib Hezbollah, announced that Iraq’s future government will be supported by Islamic resistance groups and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). This stance reflects the efforts of grassroots groups to solidify their political role within Iraq’s government structure and to counter foreign influence, particularly that of the United States.
The role of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) as a grassroots group in Iraqi politics has increased significantly in recent years, and the group is now considered one of the main actors in the country’s political, security, and social arenas. The PMF has consistently been active in rebuilding war-torn areas, providing social services, and conducting cultural campaigns.
Many political parties and grassroots groups in Iraq consider the withdrawal of U.S. troops a prerequisite for the country’s true independence. Ahead of the elections, parties tried to gain public trust and strengthen their political legitimacy with slogans against foreign interference. The presence of foreign forces in Iraqi territory, particularly at bases such as Ain al-Asad, is viewed by many Iraqis and politicians as a violation of the country’s national sovereignty.
Islamic resistance groups played an active role in the elections and emphasized their support for Iraq’s future government. This stance could have shifted public votes in the parliamentary elections toward coalitions seeking an end to the U.S. military presence.
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