Baghdad prepares for Sunday's Iraqi election

Iraqi capital Baghd is decorated with posters of candidates for upcoming Iraqi election that will take place on Sunday. This year, election will be held under a new reformed electoral law that divides Iraq into 83 constituencies, inste of 18, which oretically allows more independent candidates to participate.

Iraq has requested U.N. monitoring on election day - October 10 - and U.N. is also helping Iraq's High Electoral Commission, official body that oversees polls. electoral law changes fell short of demands by protesters. Activists h wanted more of smaller districts, but after 11 months of talks, lawmakers agreed on 83, up from 18.

lines were drawn to facilitate a 25% participation quota by women for 329 parliament seats. Walking around Tahrir Square in Baghd, protest hub for Iraqi mass protests during October 2019, Activist Ahmed Hashoush called for a boycott of upcoming Iraqi election.

Hashoush with sorrow and sness remembered Tishreen (October) revolution accusing international community of t supporting Iraqi people voices "unfortunately lot of politicians and countries have silenced ir ears on Iraqi voice calling for real change" said Hashoush. Over 600 people died in October 2019 mass protests.

Security forces used live ammunition and tear gas to disperse crowds. protests died down after few months because of brutal crackdown and coronavirus pandemic. re have been demands for serious efforts in bringing weapons under control of state security forces.

Meanwhile, election campaigns continued in Iraq two days before parliamentarian election day. Hundreds of Iran-backed group Al-Fateh bloc held a rally at martyr's monument. Al-Fateh supporters marched holding Iraqi flags and chanted slogans against US and Israel. An Iranian back party, Asaeb Ahl Al-Haq called on all foreign troops to pull out of Iraqi soil.

Qais Al-Khazali, he of party called on high turut of elections accusing some countries of being against Iraqi political system. Iraq has requested U.N. monitoring on election day, and U.N. is also helping Iraq's High Electoral Commission, official body that oversees polls. Iraqi authorities, with help of U.N., are taking measures to prevent voter fraud. re will also be 130 international experts monitoring polls, along with 600 support staff. An independent audit firm will keep tabs on how votes are counted.