BAGHDAD, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Iraqi lawmakers deliberating the provincial elections law Tuesday allocated no less than 25 percent of the seats to women.
Provinces Committee Chairman Hashim al-Taai said although little progress was made concerning the status of the city of Kirkuk, a major hurdle to passing the measure, women's issues were settled in the Tuesday session, Voices of Iraq reported.
"The issue of the presidential revocation concerning women's quota in the provincial council elections law has been settled," the chairman said.
Kurdish, Arab and Turkomen lawmakers in Parliament are at odds over U.N. recommendations to hold provincial elections except in Kirkuk, while officials weigh annexation of the city to Iraqi Kurdistan or greater Iraq.
Elections were scheduled originally for October, but delays in passing the provincial elections law put that deadline in serious jeopardy, with several analysts and officials saying the elections most likely will take place in early 2009.
