Exclusive: Political blocs exploit PMF for electoral gains, says former Nineveh Council member

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, former Nineveh Provincial Council member Ali Khudair confirmed that political blocs from outside the governorate are exploiting security institutions, including the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), to gain electoral advantages.

Khudair told Shafaq News Agency, "The National Contract Alliance, led by Falih Al-Fayyadh, and the National Identity Alliance, led by Rayan Al-Kildani, have become key players in Nineveh's political equation."

"These alliances have gained strength by exploiting the PMF for electoral purposes," he added, explaining that "PMF sites have been turned into political and party headquarters for them in Nineveh."

In this context, Khudair, who recently split from the Taqaddum Party and was a candidate for it in the provincial council elections, accused Mohammed al-Halbousi'sparty and the majority of political blocs whose leadership is based outside Nineveh of "monopolizing opinions, following a policy of imposing a fait accompli, and marginalizing their members."

About 1.2 million members of Iraq’s internal security forces, army, police, PMF, and various security agencies are eligible to participate in special voting, which typically takes place two days before the general election.

The 2018 elections saw a high turnout among those eligible for special voting, with 700,000 out of 943,000 casting their ballots across Iraq, despite a low overall voter turnout in that election.

Since the formation of the PMF and the emergence of affiliated factions loyal to political figures in the governorates of Al-Anbar, Saladin, and Nineveh, interest in special voting has grown as a key mechanism for securing seats in parliament, relying heavily on the votes of military personnel. Several Iraqi parliamentarians have military forces within the PMF, which serves as a crucial electoral base for them.

According to sources, various methods are used to capitalize on special voting. Among the most notable is the practice of political figures purchasing votes from commanders and officers within the security apparatus. These officers are then pressured or incentivized to direct their subordinates' votes, a practice observed in multiple previous elections.

Additionally, political figures and MPs often rely on tribal military forces they have established and incorporated into the PMF, especially in Nineveh, where most are based, with their numbers estimated to be in the thousands.