News Hour > Homepage > News > 

Polling begins in Iraq amid blasts

2010-03-07 14:11 BJT

 

The people of Iraq are lining up in polling stations all over the country to cast their votes in the country's general election. It's the second national ballot since former president Saddam Hussein's regime was toppled in 2003.

The country will choose a 325-seat parliament. There are a total of 6,300 candidates standing in the election. About 19 million of Iraq's estimated 28 million population are eligible to vote. UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the elections. He said the ballot was an important milestone for Iraq and called for "peaceful conduct" during the polling. Special "early voting" for some 600 thousand security forces, hospital patients and prisoners took place on Thursday.

Around 1.4 million Iraqi expatriates in 16 countries have also been casting their votes. The election is regarded as crucial for the country's reconciliation and political progression. Iraq has been struggling to improve security over the past several years. It is also making preparations for the withdrawal of U.S troops, scheduled for the end of next year.

Editor: Zheng Limin | Source: CCTV.com