SYRIA: Iraqis living in Syria vote in Iraqi election

Record ID: 279719

  • Title: SYRIA: Iraqis living in Syria vote in Iraqi election
  • Date: 7th March 2010
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (MARCH 6, 2010) (REUTERS): EXTERIOR OF POLLING CENTRE PEOPLE OUTSIDE POLLING CENTRE VARIOUS OF OFFICIAL CHECKING VOTERS' IDENTIFICATION IRAQI VOTERS REGISTERING THEIR NAMES MAN VOTING ABDUL FATTAH ABU MOAZ FROM BAGHDAD, VOTING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) BAGHDAD RESIDENT, ABDUL FATTAH ABU MOAZ, SAYING: "Before there was chaos and the elections were not wo
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVADYL5G0HLQS9O136F1EF70PJD
  • Story Text: Thousands of Iraqis living in Syria voted on Saturday (March 6) in general elections set to take place in Iraq on Sunday (March 7).
    Twenty three polling centres have been establish around Syria, to serve around one million Iraqis living in the country.
    The election is a test for Iraq's young democracy, and will help decide whether the country can avoid relapsing into violence as U.S. forces prepare to withdraw by the end of 2011.
    Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's bid to win a second term on a platform of providing services and security is under challenge from former Shi'ite partners and from a cross-sectarian, secularist group headed by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
    While many Sunnis boycotted the previous election as a result of perceived disenfranchisement which fuelled a ferocious insurgency, they say they intend to take part in this year's polls.
    Abdul Fattah Abu Moaz from Baghdad told Reuters that the last elections had been problematic.
    "Before there was chaos and the elections were not workable. I mean there could be fraud at any moment. But now they are more accurate than they were last tIme. God willing, the most important thing is the stability of the country," he said.
    Refugee from Baghdad Shada Majid said she is more hopeful for this election than she had been in the past.
    "I, honestly, did not vote in the last elections because I felt that they were a failure but now...now I feel that there has been a change and those who are unified are those who will bring good," she said.
    The election is Iraq's second for a full four-year parliament since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
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