Peregraf- Iraq will enter an election silence period on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at 7:00 a.m., ahead of the country’s sixth parliamentary elections. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has warned candidates and political blocs against violating the mandatory quiet period that precedes polling day.
Hassan Hadi Zayer, a member of the IHEC media team, said that any form of campaigning during this time—including promotional activity on the ground, in media, or on social media—constitutes a clear breach of election rules.
Zayer noted that violators face financial or administrative penalties, stressing that sanctions could escalate to exclusion from the electoral race if the act rises to the level of an electoral crime. He added that IHEC field teams are monitoring compliance to ensure equal opportunity among competitors and safeguard the election’s integrity.
IHEC spokesperson Emad Jamil underscored the seriousness of the measures, confirming that any candidate excluded for violations will have their votes completely annulled, even if they secure a winning tally.
Iraq launched its electoral campaign period on October 3, with activity permitted until the start of the silence phase. This year’s election is expected to be among the largest in the country’s history, with 21,404,291 biometric-registered citizens eligible to vote.
Voters from the Kurdistan Region constitute 3,068,384 people, representing 14.3% of the national electorate.
IHEC called on political forces and candidates to respect the silence period to help create a fair and transparent environment that reflects the will of Iraqi voters.