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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| New Iraqi election law approved | New Iraqi election law approved |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Iraq's parliament has unanimously approved a new electoral law, paving the way for elections early next year. | Iraq's parliament has unanimously approved a new electoral law, paving the way for elections early next year. |
| Parliamentarians were called to vote in a special late-night session to try to end a political crisis, and they voted minutes before the midnight deadline. | Parliamentarians were called to vote in a special late-night session to try to end a political crisis, and they voted minutes before the midnight deadline. |
| The White House said the move was "a decisive moment for Iraq's democracy". | The White House said the move was "a decisive moment for Iraq's democracy". |
| The deputy speaker of parliament said an election should take place on 27 February, but it was unclear whether this would be possible. | The deputy speaker of parliament said an election should take place on 27 February, but it was unclear whether this would be possible. |
| The new law is said to have been brokered by the UN and the US embassy. | The new law is said to have been brokered by the UN and the US embassy. |
| I would like to congratulate the Iraqi people for this historical victory Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi | I would like to congratulate the Iraqi people for this historical victory Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi |
| Polls originally scheduled for 16 January had been delayed due to problems with the election law. | Polls originally scheduled for 16 January had been delayed due to problems with the election law. |
| "This is wonderful and a huge achievement for Iraq," said deputy speaker Khalid al-Attiya. | "This is wonderful and a huge achievement for Iraq," said deputy speaker Khalid al-Attiya. |
| "Now the way is paved to conduct the election at a date to be determined by the presidency council." | "Now the way is paved to conduct the election at a date to be determined by the presidency council." |
| Last week, the United Nations said a new feasible election date was 27 February. | Last week, the United Nations said a new feasible election date was 27 February. |
| Expanded parliament | Expanded parliament |
| Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi had vetoed the previous version of the law, saying it did not provide enough seats for the country's Sunni minority. | Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi had vetoed the previous version of the law, saying it did not provide enough seats for the country's Sunni minority. |
| There have been many protests at the electoral law in the past few months | There have been many protests at the electoral law in the past few months |
| Following the parliamentary vote, he formally withdrew his veto of the election law and praised the new amendment as providing a fairer deal for Iraq's minorities. | Following the parliamentary vote, he formally withdrew his veto of the election law and praised the new amendment as providing a fairer deal for Iraq's minorities. |
| About four million Sunnis fled the country to escape violence that erupted after the US-led invasion. | |
| "I would like to congratulate the Iraqi people for this historical victory," Mr Hashemi said. | |
| The compromises reached by politicians had "got Iraq out from the bottleneck and out of a problem", he said. | The compromises reached by politicians had "got Iraq out from the bottleneck and out of a problem", he said. |
| White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the US welcomed the new resolution. | White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the US welcomed the new resolution. |
| "This legislative action will allow Iraq to hold national elections within Iraq's constitutional framework," he said. | "This legislative action will allow Iraq to hold national elections within Iraq's constitutional framework," he said. |
| Debate over the electoral law had also centred around the northern, oil-rich city of Kirkuk, which is disputed between Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen. | Debate over the electoral law had also centred around the northern, oil-rich city of Kirkuk, which is disputed between Arabs, Kurds and Turkmen. |
| The new parliament will be expanded from the current 275 seats to 325, said Mr Attiya. | The new parliament will be expanded from the current 275 seats to 325, said Mr Attiya. |
| The election is seen as a prerequisite to the US meeting its goal of pulling out combat troops by August next year, and withdrawing fully by 2012. | The election is seen as a prerequisite to the US meeting its goal of pulling out combat troops by August next year, and withdrawing fully by 2012. |