Thirty Days Set for Iraq's Election Campaigns

PUKMEDIA

IHEC's logo and a voter's card.

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Tuesday, 6 May 2025, the timetable for alliances, parties and candidates participating in the 2025 Iraqi parliamentary elections, confirming that electoral campaigns will run for 30 days.

According to a statement by the Commission, registration for alliances, parties and individual lists wishing to contest the elections opened on 15 April 2025 and will close on 14 May 2026. The period for submitting candidate lists begins on 15 May 2025 and ends on 13 June 2025, while complaints regarding the registration phase may be lodged from 15 April until 1 July 2025.

The draw to determine the order of alliances, parties and individual lists is scheduled for 10 July 2025. Registration for political party agents, observers and media representatives will run from 1 July to 8 October 2025.

Campaigning will be permitted for only 30 days from 9 October to 7 November 2025. Complaints related to the campaign period may be submitted from 10 October to 11 November 2025. A media silence period will begin on 8 November, with complaints regarding this phase accepted from 9 to 11 November 2025.

The Commission stated that special voting (security forces voting) will take place on 9 November 2025, with the general election day set for 11 November 2025. Complaints relating to both days can be filed from 9 to 12 November, and preliminary results are expected to be announced on 12 November 2025.

80 Political Parties, Alliances Signal Intent to Contest 2025 Iraqi Elections
According to the IHEC spokesperson,  so far, 330 parties and political entities are registered, with five new alliances recently added.

IHEC spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai previouisly told PUKMEDIA that, since 2015, the Commission has registered more than 330 parties and political entities. She noted that five new alliances have recently registered, but emphasised that not all registered parties and alliances are guaranteed to participate in the forthcoming elections. Ghalai called on these groups to contact the Commission’s Parties Department to formally express their intention to stand in the elections.

She further stated that 70 parties and alliances, presently in the process of formation, and another 80 parties and alliances have already declared their desire to contest the upcoming polls. Meanwhile, the Voter registration updates have reached approximately one million.

Ghalai added: “Not all alliances and parties registered with the Commission will necessarily participate in the upcoming elections, as some alliances have seen parties withdraw, while others have welcomed new members. Therefore, all alliances are urged to contact the Commission to update their details to ensure their participation.”

The IHEC launched the renewal process for voter cards and biometric data on 24 March 2025, with the campaign scheduled to run until 23 May. This initiative forms part of broader efforts to ensure a transparent and inclusive electoral process ahead of Iraq’s parliamentary elections, which are set for 11 November 2025.

The previous parliamentary elections, held on 10 October 2021, resulted in the election of 329 members to Iraq’s fifth parliamentary session. Voter turnout at that time stood at 42.15 per cent, with the new parliament convening for its inaugural session on 9 January 2022.



PUKMEDIA