Iraq Election: Will there be change?
Iraqis are hoping for stability and peace after years of violence.
Voters in Iraq have gone to the polls for the first parliamentary election since US troops left three years ago.
The government put in place unprecedented levels of security across the country, particularly in the capital Baghdad. And the vote was largely free of violence.
Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki says he is ‘certain’ of victory as he vies for a third term in office. But his critics say his Shia-dominated government favours a sectarian agenda.
Regardless of the outcome, Maliki is expected to play a critical role in building a coalition after the election.
So can this vote restore stability and the peace many Iraqis seek?
Presenter: Mike Hanna
Guests:
Alaa Makki – Member of the Iraqi Parliament and one of the candidates for the Wataniya Alliance.
Mark Kimmitt – Retired Brigadier General for the U.S. Army, who served as the Deputy Director of Operations for Coalition Forces in Iraq.
Ghassan Al Attiyah – Director for the Iraqi Institute for Democracy and Development.