IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Iraq

Republic of Iraq

40,412,299	8
Population (as of Feb. 8, 2019)	Elections in our database
22,116,368	62.77%
Registered Voters (as of Jan. 22, 2022)	Average Turnout

Name	Official Name	Type
Iraqi Council of Representatives	Majlis an-Nuwwab al-`Iraqiyy	Assembly

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Barham SALIH[1]
Head of Government: Prime Minister Abdil ABDUL-MAHDI
Assembly: Iraq has a unicameral Council of Representatives (Majlis an-Nuwwab al-`Iraqiyy) with 328 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by parliament to serve a 4-year term.
The Prime Minister is elected by parliament.
In the Council of Representatives (Majlis an-Nuwwab al-`Iraqiyy) 328 members are elected through an open-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms.[2][3]

More information on electoral system and seat allocation can be found here: UNAMI, IHEC

[1] The President is one of three members of a Transitional Presidency Council, which is elected by the legislature.

[2] A new electoral law in 2013 increased the size of the Council from 325 members to 328 members (formerly 310 seats from party lists in each governorate and 7 national compensatory seats). Under the new system, 320 seats are apportioned among 18 governorates and 8 are reserved to minority groups in specific governorates (Christian (5), Sabean (1), Shabak (1), and Yizidi (1)). Constitutionally, the membership of the Council is to seek to achieve at least 25% (82 seats) representation of women. Each list must have 1 female candidate after each 3 male candidates. The Council election also allows for the participation of out-of-country voters (OCV), who are able to vote at the governorate-level tier. For more information, see IHEC and UNAMI links.

[3] In November 2013, the Supreme Court ruled that calculating seats based on the largest remainder system was unconstitutional because it discriminated against smaller parties. The new method used to calculate seats will be a modified St. Lague method.

Elections

2021-10-10
Iraqi Council of Representatives
Votes 9,629,601
Registered 22,116,368
Turnout 43.54

2018-05-12
Iraqi Council of Representatives
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

2017-09-25
Referendum
Votes 3,305,925
Registered 4,581,255
Turnout 72.16

2014-04-30
Iraqi Council of Representatives
Votes 13,013,765
Registered 21,500,000
Turnout 60.53

2010-03-07
Iraqi Council of Representatives
Votes 11,526,412
Registered 19,000,000
Turnout 60.67

2005-12-15
Iraqi Council of Representatives
Votes 12,396,631
Registered 15,568,702
Turnout 79.63

2005-10-15
Referendum
Votes 10,053,380
Registered 15,568,702
Turnout 64.57

2005-01-30
Iraqi Council of Representatives
Votes 8,550,571
Registered 14,662,639
Turnout 58.32

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Iraqi Council of Representatives	2021-10-10	9,629,601	22,116,368	43.54
Iraqi Council of Representatives	2018-05-12	-	-	-
Referendum	2017-09-25	3,305,925	4,581,255	72.16
Iraqi Council of Representatives	2014-04-30	13,013,765	21,500,000	60.53
Iraqi Council of Representatives	2010-03-07	11,526,412	19,000,000	60.67
Iraqi Council of Representatives	2005-12-15	12,396,631	15,568,702	79.63
Referendum	2005-10-15	10,053,380	15,568,702	64.57
Iraqi Council of Representatives	2005-01-30	8,550,571	14,662,639	58.32

Voter Turnout

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