ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A candidate for Iraq’s upcoming legislative ballot has been arrested over allegations of voter manipulation, after reportedly offering jobs and financial incentives in exchange for votes, the country’s electoral body announced on Tuesday. This comes as the commission has barred over 600 candidates for reasons ranging from ties to the defunct Baath regime to criminal records.
The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said the candidate was arrested under orders from the Second Karkh Investigation Court in Baghdad.
"We have arrested one of the parliamentary election candidates after he misled and deceived voters by promising government jobs, loans, or salaries from social welfare offices in return for their votes," the court said in a statement.
The arrest was carried out under Articles 30 and 32 of the Parliamentary and Provincial Council Elections Law, which prohibit the use of financial inducements and government institutions in election campaigning.
The IHEC confirmed it had been informed of the charges and proceeded with the candidate’s disqualification. However, the individual’s identity was not disclosed.
Iraq is set to hold legislative elections on November 11, with more than 7,900 candidates competing for 329 seats in the country’s parliament.
On Sunday, IHEC announced the disqualification of 627 candidates, citing a range of violations including, “criminal records, incomplete documentation, and accountability” issues.
Of those, 290 were barred for alleged links to the outlawed Baath Party, in accordance with the Accountability and Justice Act. Enacted in 2008, the Act is designed to eliminate the Baath Party’s lingering influence across Iraq’s political, administrative, and cultural spheres.
Another 163 were removed at the request of their own political lists, the IHEC said, noting that "political parties have until September 4th to substitute their disqualified candidates,” while underlining that "no further replacements will be permitted after that date."
Among those disqualified on Sunday was Rakan al-Jabouri, the former acting governor of Kirkuk, who is facing corruption charges. His removal is based on Article 7/Third of Elections Law No. 12 of 2018, which requires candidates to be "of good behavior and reputation" and "politically independent."
According to Iraq’s 2024 General Population and Housing Census, the country's total population - including the Kurdistan Region - stands at 46.1 million, with around 27 million citizens aged 18 and above eligible to vote in the November elections.
