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1 1 (October 18, 2021)

handle is hein.crs/goveeqx0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional ~ Research Service ~ ~~ ~informing the legis!ative debate since 1914____________________ Iraq's October 2021 Election Updated October 18, 2021 Iraqis Rebalance Forces in Parliament, Turn to Government Formation On October 10, 2021, Iraqis voted in an early election to determine the makeup of the unicameral Council of Representatives (COR), Iraq's national legislature. The COR elects Iraq's president and approves the prime minister's program and cabinet nominees. The election results will inform negotiations among political groups to identify the largest bloc in the COR, which nominates a prime minister and shapes the selection of cabinet nominees. The largest bloc may or may not include the coalition or party that wins the most CORs eats. Past government formation negotiations have taken months to resolve. Iran-aligned parties won fewer seats, which may make it less likely that Iraq's next government will request a fuller or earlier U.S. military withdrawal. Iraqi officials and clerics encouraged voters to participate, but turnout was low, reflecting some boycotts and Iraqis' lack of confidence that participation would produce change. Although no party won an outright majority, the improved performance of some parties relative to the 2018 election, the weaker showings of others, and the electoral success of new parties and independents associated with the 2019- 2021 protest movement may change some of Iraq's political dynamics. Some pro-Iran/anti-U. S. forces fared less well than they had hoped and, among some others, are challenging the results. Pro-Iran groups appear to have lost some support by suppressing protests, but Iraqi analysts expect they will use resources and intimidation to maintain their influence. Iraqi analysts expect a compromise coalition government to emerge from post-election negotiations that includes these groups alongside their rivals. Such a government could lower the risk of violent confrontation between armed supporters of competing parties, but also may make less likely some of the systemic reforms sought by protestors who brought down Iraq's last government. Election Framework and Results Under a new voting law finalized in 2020, Iraq adopted a single nontransferable vote system (one vote, one candidate, multiple seats per constituency). Voters selected 320 candidates across 83 local constituencies and nine candidates for seats reserved for minority groups. At least 25% of the COR seats were reserved for women, with one seat per constituency designated for female candidates. Prior elections saw voters choose party lists in province-wide constituencies. The provincial list system favored larger parties and enabled them to seat loyalists who might not have attracted support as individual candidates. Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11769 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Membersand Committeesof Congress

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