On the elections in Iraq
Iraq, Politics, 3/29/2000

Iraqi Minister of Justice Shabib al-Malki on Tuesday announced that the Baath Party won the Iraqi legislative elections by winning 165 out of 250 seats in the Iraqi National Council (parliament).

In a press conference al-Malki said that all 165 candidates of the Baath party won in the elections, including Odai Saddam Hussein (35), the eldest son of the Iraqi president. Thus the representation rate of the Baathists in the new Iraqi parliament is 66%.

The minister stated that Odai received the highest rate of votes, which are estimated at more than 200,000.

The Iraqi minister added that 18 women won in the elections out of the 25 women who took part as candidates in the parliament for Baghdad and other provinces.

He continued that the number of independent parliamentarians in the new council reached 85, of whom some 55 were elected and the other 30, who represent the Kurdish provinces, were appointed by the Iraqi president.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi Communist Party denounced the legislative elections in Iraq.

AFP quoted a statement released by this party, a copy of which was circulated in Dubai, as saying that most Iraqis were forced to take part in the "play" of the claimed elections for the National Council, and they know that the results of the elections are taken for granted, as Iraqi security and party elements openly promoted certain candidates at the expense of others.

Previous Stories:
  Iraqi parliamentary elections   (3/28/2000)
  Parliamentary elections in Iraq   (3/27/2000)
  Report: Political future in Iraq will be for new bloods   (3/25/2000)

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