Election expert: Iraqi government’s proposal to adopt the national ID card violates election law
Election expert: Iraqi government’s proposal to adopt the national ID card violates election law
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Wednesday, election expert Duraid Tawfiq criticized the absence of constitutional and legal frameworks for the decision to adopt the unified national card in the voting process for the upcoming Iraqi elections.
In a statement, Tawfiq questioned how to reconcile Article (102) of the Constitution – which explicitly states that the Independent High Electoral Commission is an independent body subject to the oversight of the House of Representatives – with placing the voter registry under the control of a governmental body represented by the Ministry of Interior.
The expert expressed his surprise at the approval by the Board of Commissioners of the Prime Minister’s proposal to adopt the unified national card, explaining that Election Law No. (4) of 2023 (Article 5 / Paragraph Four) stipulates that the voter must be registered in the voter register and possess an updated biometric long-term electoral card for use in voting.
Tawfiq questioned the possibility of changing a mechanism stipulated by law through a proposal or executive decision, asking about the absence of the House of Representatives’ oversight role regarding this clear conflict with constitutional and legal texts.
From a technical standpoint, the expert explained that if the national card is adopted, locating the ballot box and polling station for each voter will be complicated, while also questioning the remaining legal term of the Board of Commissioners and the appropriateness of making strategic decisions that affect the voter registry and voting mechanisms at this stage.
This stance coincides with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi chairing a joint meeting on Tuesday evening between the Ministry of Interior and the Independent High Electoral Commission, in the presence of the Director of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Director General of Civil Status, Passports and Residence, and a number of officers in the Directorate, in addition to the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Commission, his deputy and a number of members of its board.
During the meeting, Al-Zaydi instructed that the unified national card be adopted in the upcoming elections. He also directed the Ministry of Interior to provide all the data and information required to facilitate the work of the commission and complete the requirements for this adoption, stressing that the use of the unified national card in the electoral process would facilitate voting procedures for citizens and enhance the accuracy of electoral data.
shafaq.com
