§ Lord Dykesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their current assessment of the prospects for a successful election process in Iraq at the end of January 2005. [HL556]
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean)Both the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI) and the UN remain confident that technical preparations are on schedule to meet the 30 January timing for elections. Some 111 groups, with over 7,000 candidates, are registered to contest the national elections. A further 12,000 candidates will contest the provincial elections.
Recent polling data indicate that over 80 percent of Iraqis want to vote. Security for the elections will of course be vital. The IECI and the Iraqi authorities, with the multinational forces, are working hard to ensure security in all areas to achieve the broadest possible participation.
To date, the IECI has accredited 12,400 Iraqi election observers to ensure that elections are free and fair. In addition, the International Mission for Iraqi Elections, an initiative established by the Canadian Electoral Commission, will carry out a technical assessment of the elections.