Iraq stalls on minority election measure

BAGHDAD, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- Iraqi lawmakers in Parliament Wednesday failed to reach a resolution in debates over minority representation in the provincial elections law.

The Iraqi Parliament had scheduled debates Wednesday over Article 50 of the provincial elections law, which dealt with minority representation. Lawmakers passed the law in September with a quota set for female representation but excluded other minority religious groups.

Younadem Kana with the al-Rafidayn List, a one-seat member of Parliament, told Voices of Iraq that lawmakers were unable to reach a consensus on the matter, setting it aside for Thursday's session.

Kana said Parliament would consider whether to reach a consensus decision on the matter or form a committee to look into the issue.

He called on his counterparts to set aside complex resolutions to the matter and instead include the provision in a special amendment.

"The option presented in the Parliament is to enact a special law to include Article 50, and there is a semi-unanimity among political blocs on this opinion," he said.

A three-member presidential council sanctioned the provincial elections law Tuesday without Article 50, despite pressure from the United Nations and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Iraqi Christian communities in the northern parts of the country have held widespread demonstrations in opposition to the exclusion.