Region | Iraq
Iraq puts a ban on pictures of clerics in election posters
The Iraqi government yesterday ordered that campaign materials in upcoming provincial elections can only feature pictures of candidates, in an apparent attempt to keep followers of cleric Moqtada Al Sadr from using his image to court voters.
- AP
- Published: 00:07 July 4, 2008
Baghdad: The Iraqi government yesterday ordered that campaign materials in upcoming provincial elections can only feature pictures of candidates, in an apparent attempt to keep followers of cleric Moqtada Al Sadr from using his image to court voters.
The decision would also affect other Shiite parties that often use pictures of popular clerics in political campaigns. The government has also banned candidates from campaigning in mosques or other places of worship, said government spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh.
Shiite politicians flooded the country with posters of the country's main Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, and others during elections in 2005, capitalising on their prestige to win power.
That led to a backlash among other religious groups and more secular-minded Shiites alarmed over clerical influence in Iraqi society.
Pictures of Al Sadr, who comes from one of Iraq's most esteemed Shiite families, line the streets of places like Sadr City.
The upcoming elections will choose governing councils in Iraq's 18 provinces and are seen as a key step in repairing the country's sectarian rifts. The councils have gained power since the first round of elections from specific provisions in the constitution, which wasn't yet ratified by January 2005.
Al Sadr's followers hope to use the elections to loosen the grip on power that their Shiite rivals have enjoyed since the 2005 elections, which the Sadrists boycotted.
The group does not plan to run a separate list of Sadrist candidates, but will instead have them join other tickets and represent the movement on an individual basis.
Vote for individuals
They could benefit from the Iraqi government's decision, also made on Tuesday, to run provincial elections according to an open-list system, allowing voters to choose individual candidates rather than simply picking a party.
Many voters criticised the government's decision to run the first provincial elections with a closed-list system, possibly pushing them to make the change.
For months, the Sadrists have been complaining that their Shiite political rivals in the government have been targeting their movement ahead of upcoming elections, arresting many of their followers under the pretext of security crackdowns.
The vote is scheduled to be held by October, but there is considerable uncertainty whether it will happen on time because parliament has not approved a new law providing for the elections.
The Sunnis are fully participating in the new round of elections and could benefit from a government's decision to allow internally displaced Iraqis to vote.
Al Dabbagh also announced on Tuesday that Jordan's King Abdullah II plans to visit Iraq soon. It would be the first trip by an Arab head of state to Iraq since Saddam Hussain was deposed in 2003 after the US-led invasion.
Al Dabbagh said Abdullah will hold talks with Al Maliki next week, but Iraq's ambassador to Jordan, Sa'ad Al Hayyani, said a date has not been set.
"The Iraqi government and people welcome this visit, and we believe that such a visit would stimulate other Arab senior officials to visit Iraq to enhance bilateral relations," Al Dabbagh said.
Al Dabbagh also said yesterday that Al Maliki would visit several European and Middle East countries, including the UAE on Sunday.
Ties: Jordan king to visit
Iraqi officials say Jordan's King Abdullah II plans to visit Iraq soon in the first trip by an Arab leader since Saddam Hussain was deposed in 2003.
Iraqi government spokesman Ali Al Dabbagh said Abdullah will hold talks next week with Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and other officials.
In Jordan, visiting Iraqi Industry Minister Fawzi Hariri told reporters that King Abdullah would visit soon, but declined to give a date. Iraqi Ambassador Sa'ad Al Hayyani said preparations were under way for the visit, but that a date has not been set.
News Editor's choice
-
Kuwait condemns Houla massacre
Arab League urged to put end to oppression of Syrian people
-
Road crashes main cause of child death in UAE
Death rate among children in car accidents in the UAE is three times higher than global average
-
Last minute ID rush is on
Expatriates in Dubai have thronged typing centres and Emirates ID registration offices to meet the May 31 registration deadline
