Send to Kindle
An Iraqi elderly man casts his vote for the Iraqi parliamentary elections at a polling station in Karada discrit in Baghdad, Iraq, 07 March 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES
Polling stations across Iraq have opened, amid tight security, for voters to elect 325 parliamentary members.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki called on voters to turn out in large numbers, saying that participation would boost democracy.
Despite extra security measures to prevent violence, at least 17 people died in two separate blasts in Baghdad.
The border with Iran has been closed, thousands of troops deployed, and vehicle movement has been banned.
The parliamentary election is the second since the 2003 invasion which led to the fall of Saddam Hussein.
The previous election, in 2005, saw Mr Maliki become prime minister with Shia Muslim parties dominating the legislature.
President Jalal Talabani, seeking another term, said: "This election marks another step in the march of our democracy - and also a test."
Iraq's last elections were in February 2009, when voters chose local representatives.
Former US Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84 from complications related to pneumonia and underlying cardiac and vascular disease
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed support for plans to negotiate with countries such as Vietnam, Turkey, and Iraq to help manage the flow of illegal migrants into the UK
A suspected rocket attack on Monday resulted in injuries to several US personnel stationed at Al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq
The United States and Iraq have reopened discussions regarding the reduction of US-led coalition forces stationed in Iraq, with recent retaliatory strikes and escalating tensions shaping the dialogue
The United States has confirmed conducting a targeted strike on Iraqi soil, resulting in the death of a senior commander from the Shiite group "Kataib Hezbollah"
The United States and Iraq are on the verge of initiating discussions on the American military presence in the country, responding to calls from the Iraqi government to withdraw US troops
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced a new American military initiative targeting what Washington describes as “narco-terrorist” groups operating throughout the Western Hemisphere
The European Commission has temporarily halted the preliminary assessment of Bulgaria’s request for the third payment under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan
The Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) democracies voiced concern over China’s expanding military capabilities and underscored their determination to create alternatives to Beijing’s dominance
Romania continues to grapple with sharply rising prices, with inflation reaching 9.8 percent in October
Several districts across Kyiv suffered extensive damage after a large overnight Russian attack between 13 and 14 November, which involved waves of missiles and drones
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is not only continuing its war against Ukraine but may also be preparing for a major military offensive in Europe between 2029 and 2030
Bulgaria's Strategic Role in the EU's Drone Wall Defense Initiative
When Politics Means Violence
