Iraqis Vote in Parliamentary Election

Sea Eagle

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Iraqis cast their ballots at polling stations across the country, dipping their fingers into wells of indelible ink to prevent anyone from voting more than once. It is the first parliamentary election since 2010 and the first nationwide election since U.S. troops withdrew in 2011.
Patriotism high, security tight
Baghdad security chief Sa'ad Ma'an said that voting is taking place smoothly in most places, amid an atmosphere of enthusiasm and patriotism.
He said that there was a heavy turnout in the capital Baghdad, amid an atmosphere of joy and patriotic fervor. He noted that the (vehicular) curfew was even lifted in a number of places across the country, since the security plan is working well. In Mosul, however, he indicated that security forces shot dead a suicide bomber before he was able to blow himself up.
Al-Maliki seeks 3rd term
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki voted at a hotel just outside the fortified "Green Zone" in the capital, and called on Iraqis to turn out in large numbers.
He urged the Iraqi people to turn out to vote en masse, because those who do so use their right to choose or sanction, while those who don't throw away that right. He said that by voting Iraqis can defeat terrorism as well as those counting on the elections to be a failure.
Iraq's former National Security Advisor Dr. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, who is himself a candidate on Prime Minister Maliki's "State of Law" coalition, told VOA that he believes turnout to be heavy.

"I have already voted with the prime minister, Prime Minister Maliki, together, and we're very upbeat to be quite honest with you. I think we're going to break a record again,"he said."Two days ago, we have broken a record with a turnout of 91 percent and today we're going to break the record of civilians going to polling stations with unprecedented percentage."
Dr. Rubaie described the electoral atmosphere in the capital as festive.
"I'm proud of the Iraqi people. They are going in millions to the polling stations. They are parading towards the polling stations. They are very, very happy. Baghdad is all colorful, now, and I think they are going to cast their votes and they're going to vote overwhelmingly in support of [Maliki's]"State of the Law" [coalition]," he said.
Prime Minister Maliki won 89 seats in Iraq's 338 member parliament during the 2010 elections, while his main opponent, Dr. Iyad Allawi won 91. Maliki, however, formed the government after a series of electoral alliances in his favor. Prime Minister Maliki is widely expected to win this year's election, outright.

Iraqis Vote in Parliamentary Election
 

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