Iraq elections: Parties entitled to twice the number of parliamentary seats

Shafaq News/ Registered political parties may nominate up to two candidates per parliamentary seat, regardless of the total number of competing parties, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) affirmed on Monday.

IHEC spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai told Shafaq News that 335 political parties are currently licensed and registered, with more than 100 having expressed intent to participate in the November 2025 parliamentary elections.

“Currently, 61 parties are still in the process of formation,” al-Ghalai said, adding that 66 political coalitions have formally registered with IHEC’s Department of Political Parties and Organizations Affairs. Among them are six that recently updated their registration data and five newly established alliances.

Meanwhile, the Strategic Center for Human Rights (SCHR) raised concerns over the growing gap between the size of Iraq’s 329-seat parliament and its rapidly expanding party landscape. SCHR Deputy Head Hazem al-Rudaini noted that 333 parties are formally recognized under the 2015 Parties Law, with over 50 more awaiting final approval.

He called for a legislative review of the law after ten years of implementation, suggesting that any party failing to contest two consecutive election cycles should have its license revoked. “The goal of forming a party should be active participation in the political and electoral processes.”

The official also recommended that political groups maintain offices in multiple provinces to show national reach, and urged regular monitoring of their rhetoric, which he said often includes calls to boycott elections and withdraw from the political process.