Iraqis vote in first regional elections since U.S. withdrawal

PanARMENIAN.Net - Polls opened amid tight security in Iraq on Saturday, April 20 for regional elections in the country's first vote since the U.S. military withdrawal, marking an important test of the country's stability, AP said.

The results will not directly affect Iraq's national government. But the vote is an important measure of support for Iraq's various political blocs heading into parliamentary elections scheduled for next year. Saturday's vote is also a key test for the Iraqi army and police, who face a reviving al-Qaida insurgency and are for the first time securing the vote on their own.

As in past elections, officials have ratcheted up security precautions to thwart attempts by insurgents to disrupt the vote. Security cordons are set up around polling places, and only authorized vehicles are being allowed on the streets in major cities.

Voting is taking place at more than 5,300 polling centers for members of provincial councils who will serve in 12 of Iraq's 18 governorates. Thousands of candidates from 50 electoral blocs are running for 378 positions.

Iraqis last elected members of provincial councils in January 2009.

The last time Iraqis voted, in national elections in 2010, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's Shiite-dominated State of Law coalition faced a strong challenge from the Iraqiya bloc, which sought support from Sunnis as well as secular-minded Shiites.

Majority Shiites have headed the succession of Iraqi administrations that followed the ouster of Saddam Hussein and his Sunni-led regime in 2003.