Iraqi parliament begins voting on much-delayed election law needed for January vote

November 5th, 2009 Iraq election head warns again of vote delayBAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers are discussing a controversial election law needed to carry out the January 16 vote. But the head of Iraq's election commission warns that a deadline is looming.

November 4th, 2009 Iraqi election head warns parliament of vote delayBAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers have only a day left to agree on a new bill that would enable the country to hold key parliament elections in January, according to remarks Wednesday by the country's election commission chairman. The chairman, Faraj al-Haidari, said he warned the legislators that if they don't approve the election law by the end of Thursday, the country's nationwide vote will be delayed.

November 4th, 2009 Iraq vote may be delayed, election head warnsBAGHDAD — The official charged with carrying out Iraq's crucial January polls warned Wednesday that they will be delayed if parliament doesn't approve a key electoral bill. Any delay in the Jan.

November 2nd, 2009 Ivory Coast presidential election delayed againABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — A long-delayed presidential election in Ivory Coast is being pushed back again. President Laurent Gbagbo has announced that the vote set for Nov.

October 29th, 2009 Kurds snub parliament vote on Iraqi election lawBAGHDAD — Kurdish lawmakers pushing for control of a northern oil-rich city boycotted a parliament session on Thursday that was to tackle a crucial election law needed for January's nationwide balloting, throwing into doubt the country's ability to pull off the upcoming elections on time. The election law has been held up over one key issue — whether to use voter lists that favor the Kurds or the Arabs in the city of Kirkuk.

October 23rd, 2009 Iraqi cleric's aide warns of chaos if vote delayedBAGHDAD — A delay in the January parliamentary election could lead to chaos, a top aide to Iraq's Shiite spiritual leader warned Friday, as lawmakers remained deadlocked over legislation that would regulate the crucial national vote. Sheik Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalaie, the representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in the holy city of Karbala, said the revered cleric wants elections — set for January 16 — to be held on time.

October 21st, 2009 Iraqi lawmaker urges compromise on election lawBAGHDAD — The head of Iraq's parliament urged political leaders on Wednesday to swiftly agree on a new election law so that crucial nationwide elections can take place on time. Parliament Speaker Ayad al-Samarraie said he was confident parliamentary elections set for Jan.

October 21st, 2009 Iraqi lawmakers deadlocked over election lawBAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers failed to agree on key changes to the election law on Wednesday, throwing January's crucial parliamentary vote into jeopardy and potentially slowing down U.S. withdrawal from the country.

October 20th, 2009 Obama stands by Iraqi troop pulloutWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama renewed his vow Tuesday to have all U.S. combat troops out of Iraq by next August, while nudging Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to see that his parliament quickly passes a critical election law essential to a nationwide vote in January.

October 13th, 2009 Iraq assembly approves small British troop returnBAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers Tuesday approved the return of a limited number of British troops to Iraq to help protect the country's southern oil ports — an area where Iraq is lagging in its ability to provide security. Iraq's parliament approved the security agreement with Britain months after the military contingent was forced to pull out because a United Nations mandate allowing British troops to legally operate in the country expired.

September 30th, 2009 A look at Germany's voting systemBERLIN — Germans each have two votes in the country's Sept. 27 parliamentary election — one for a directly elected representative and the other for a party.

August 28th, 2009 Moldova's Parliament elects new speakerCHISINAU, Moldova — Moldova's pro-Western coalition government has chosen a new parliament speaker in a vote that was boycotted by the Communist legislators. Last month, the four-party coalition won a narrow victory in a national election in Moldova, a former Soviet republic.

July 8th, 2009 JAYAPURA - Indonesians begin voting Wednesday in only the second direct presidential elections in the country's history, with incumbent Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is widely expected to win a second five-year term. Voting commenced at 7 a.m.

June 29th, 2009 Observers say flaws in Albania vote countTIRANA, Albania — International observers said on Friday that political interference had delayed the vote count of last month's general election in Albania. Some 500 international election observers have been monitoring Albania's election process, considered an important test for the tiny Balkan country's progress of democracy.

January 27th, 2009 BAGHDAD - Special voting for soldiers, police personnel, prisoners and employees started early Wednesday ahead of Saturday's provincial election in Iraq. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) of Iraq expected that around 700,000 people will participate in the early voting, including 600,000 security personnel and 50,000 prisoners.