BAGHDAD: Iraq held the sixth parliamentary election since the 2003 US-led invasion, with over 20 million eligible voters casting ballots at 8, 703 polling centres to choose among 7, 744 candidates competing for 329 parliamentary seats.
The voting process began at 7:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday and ended at 6:00 p.m. local time under the supervision of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC). More than 2, 200 women were among the candidates contesting in what Iraqi leaders described as a pivotal moment for the country's future.
The voting came amid a mandatory election silence period imposed for security reasons. Iraq's last parliamentary elections in 2021 sparked violent clashes in the capital Baghdad and nearly a year of political deadlock before a government was formed.
It has also faced a notable boycott from influential Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and his followers, who cited the "persistent corruption" within the political process.