An Iraqi woman registers for upcoming elections in Basra

Iraqis will go to the polls to choose a National Assembly, which will among other things draft a permanent constitution. The vote is seen as a major step toward building democracy after years of rule by Saddam Hussein.

Farid Ayar, spokesman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq, said areas beset by violence -- including the insurgent strongholds of Fallujah and Ramadi, as well as northern Mosul -- will participate.

Ayar said that 122 political parties out of 195 applications have been accepted and are registered for the elections.

"No Iraqi province will be excluded because the law considers Iraq as one constituency, and therefore it is not legal to exclude any province," he said.

Iraqi voters will choose representatives for a 275-member National Assembly, provincial councils and the National Council for Kurdistan.

The Japan Times Weekly: Nov. 27, 2004
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