Iraq begins electoral silence before Sunday’s parliamentary vote

Iraq entered an electoral silence period early Saturday, a day before voters head to the polls for the parliamentary elections, while Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani urged citizens to participate widely in Sunday’s polls, Anadolu reports. The blackout began at 7 am local time (0400GMT), during which political entities and parties are prohibited from promoting their campaigns or candidates until polls close, according to the Iraqi News Agency INA. On Friday evening, Sudani urged Iraqis to vote “freely and without coercion,” saying their participation is “a trust, a responsibility, and the voice of the future.” “Your participation will send a clear message about the new Iraq, whose people are determined to ensure the peaceful transfer of power through the […]