Iraqi parliamentary elections in March, 2000

An Iraqi parliamentary source said on Wednesday that general elections will be held in the last week of next March to elect members of the Iraqi National Council, which ended its fourth legislative session on Tuesday.

The source added that the elections will be held to elect 250 members in the Iraqi National Council (Parliament), marking the beginning of a new parliamentary course which will last for four years.

However, the legislative elections are coinciding with the current preparations to enact a new constitution in Iraq as the authorities study legalization of party pluralism.

Meanwhile, an official at the Iraqi Ministry of the Interior said the government informed two political groups that it will not permit them to form parties unless they have the minimum number of members as stated in the law.