Sadrists hold elections in Iraq

The Iraqi Islamist National Movement - or Sadrist movement have held local government elections on Friday in the three governorates of Najaf, Karbala and Babil. More than 200 polling stations opened their doors across the three governorates on Friday morning. The elections were held in very secure conditions. Salah Obeidi from the Sadrist Movement told Arabstoday that 120 candidates ran in the election, trying to gain trust in order to get a seat in the governorates' councils. 200 other candidates took part in local council elections. This is the second time Sadrists hold democratic elections, a way of making Iraqis used to the electoral system in order to prepare them for the general elections. Obeidi added that this year’s elections were smooth and well organised. They were not supervised by the independent electoral commission. According to him, the polling stations didn’t experience any problem thanks to the security forces' help. This shows, still according to Obeidi that the experiment is democratic and supported by the Iraqi government. Fraud was prevented by using digital fingerprint technology. There were independent candidates running in the elections. They were required to have at least a bachelor degree, no criminal conviction and no link with the dissolved Baath party.