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Iraq’s Sunni Vice President Vetoes Proposed January Elections
November 24, 2009
By: Randi Zung | Printer Friendly

On November 18, Sunni Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi vetoed a law regarding proposed parliamentary elections in January.  However, on November 19, Iraq’s constitutional court overturned al-Hashimi’s decision, declaring his original veto unconstitutional.  The law that al-Hashimi vetoed was put in place earlier in the month on November 8.  The elections were originally scheduled for January 18 to 23.

According to Voice of America, al-Hashimi wants more of the country’s parliamentary seats to be occupied by Sunni individuals.  Instead of the 5 percent original allotment, al-Hashimi wants to increase the allocation of seats to Sunnis to 15 percent.  The article states that his objection to the November 8 legislation was based on a disagreement with a single clause and that it could be amended quickly, meaning that it would not interfere with the January 2010 election.  In contrast, Qassem al-Aboudi, a member of Iraq electoral commission stated that the vetoes will delay the elections because they will halt current ballot preparations.  The Associated Press (AP) reports chief of the election commission, Faraj al-Haidari, was quoted as stating: “I think that it is very difficult to hold the elections in January. Most probably, it might be moved to February.”

In addition, AP reports that after the original legislation was amended with the support of Shiite and Kurdish legislators, Sunnis claimed that they were given even fewer seats than they were originally allotted.  To reflect the growing population, the number of seats in parliament is being expanded from 275 to 320.  On November 24, al-Hashimi’s office announced that it planned to veto the newly amended legislation for a second time.  AP also states that if al-Hashimi enacts a second veto, he is likely to be overridden by the parliament through a three-fifths majority decision.  The article attributes the country’s political instability to ethnic divisions.  The Sunni party has been struggling to reestablish themselves within the government since the fall of Saddam Hussien.  Under Hussien, the Sunni party occupied a “privileged status” that has since deteriorated.  In January 2005, the Sunni party boycotted the country’s first post-Hussien election, and as a result they were left without much say in the creation of the country’s constitution.

In a November 24 article by Reuters, election officials are now stating that election will not take place in January as originally planned.  According to election law, all proposed amendments and changes had to have been made at least 60 days prior to the intended election date.  Although Tuesday was technically the last possible legal day to make changes for the January 23election, officials claim that the vetoes have disrupted their work – meaning that it will be necessary to delay the election. 

Sources:
Voice of America - Iraq Constitutional Court Overturns Electoral Law Veto
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2009-11-18-voa5-70423777.html

Associated Press - Iraq election law faces second veto
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hwK_CSpBxsNuVUEaDuOwmSSCiqGwD9C5S7VG1

Reuters - Iraq national vote unlikely in January: official
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE5AN1DO2009112