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On Saturday, millions of Iraqis will vote in a referendum on a new constitution that its backers hope will unite the increasingly divided country. Following are some basic questions and answers about the referendum, its rules and how it will be administered.
WHY A REFERENDUM?
Iraq’s interim constitution, drawn up with the help of U.S. and British diplomats ahead of the transfer of sovereignty in June last year, stipulated that the new constitution, drawn up by parliament elected on Jan. 30 this year, should be put to a general referendum “no later than” Oct. 15, 2005.
WHAT DOES THE REFERENDUM ACTUALLY ASK?
The ballot paper asks voters: “Do you approve the draft constitution of Iraq?”. At the bottom of the page are two boxes, marked “Yes” and “No” in Arabic and Kurdish.
WHAT’S THE BENCHMARK FOR SUCCESS?
The referendum will be successful and the draft constitution ratified if the majority of those who turn out to vote say “Yes”, and as long as two thirds of voters who cast a ballot in three of Iraq’s 18 provinces do not say “No”.
WHY SO COMPLICATED?
The Kurds, who make up nearly 20 per cent of Iraq’s population and are the overwhelming majority in three provinces in the north, wanted the “No” clause inserted in the interim constitution just in case negotiations over the document did not go their way and they needed to block its passage. Now it is Iraq’s Sunnis, which also accounts for about 20 per cent of the population and has a majority in at least three provinces, that is hoping to raise a blocking “No” vote to a charter drawn up by a parliament that, after a Sunni boycott of the Jan. 30 poll, is dominated by Shias and Kurds. Shias form 60 per cent of Iraq’s population.
HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL VOTE?
Iraq’s Electoral Commission, which is organising the referendum with the help of around 35 international specialists, says 15.5 million of Iraq’s 27 million people are registered, up from the 14.3 million who registered to vote in the first post-Saddam Hussein election in January. Turnout in January was just under 60 per cent, with 8.5 million people turning out. Only about one Sunni in 10 voted, but that figure is expected to be higher this time around.
WHERE WILL PEOPLE VOTE?
The Electoral Commission will set up 6,200 polling sites around the country. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. (0400-1400 GMT), although hours could be extended, as they were in January, if violence causes delays or if there is excessive crowding at some polling sites.
WHAT ABOUT SECURITY?
Iraq’s Interior Ministry has introduced strict security measures, including closing international borders and imposing overnight curfews on the days around the referendum. Around 100,000 Iraqi police and soldiers will be on duty to protect sites, and will be backed up, if needed, by 160,000 foreign troops, most of them Americans.
WILL THERE BE MONITORS?
Around 500 observers from a range of international groups have so far registered to monitor the vote, including representatives from the Arab League and the US National Democratic Institute. The number is slightly less than that which monitored the January election.
WHEN WILL THE RESULTS BE ANNOUNCED?
The Electoral Commission says it hopes to be able to announce the results about five days after the vote.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT PASSES?
Then the constitution will be ratified and elections for a four-year parliament with full powers will be held no later than Dec. 15, with the new government to be sworn in before Dec. 31, according to the interim constitution.
AND IF IT FAILS?
Then the parliament will be dissolved and new elections would have to be held by Dec. 15 for a new interim parliament. —Reuters
