From Wednesday morning Iraqis are going to the polls in the country’s general elections. According to official statistics over 21 million people are registered voters and the number of candidates has been announced at around 9,000 contending for 328 seats.
Iraqi national currents have in advance warned of Nouri Maliki’s efforts for widespread fraud in these elections. Prominent religious figures in Iraq, including Ayatollah Bashir al-Najafi, have issued fatwas banning voting for Maliki’s current.