Iraqi 'legislative term' ends on Thursday ahead of polls

Baghdad, Oct 7 (IANS) Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi announcedthat the legislative term would end on Thursday, three days before the early parliamentary elections on October 10.

"The fourth legislative term ends tomorrow, and the people will choose who will represent them on October 10 to start again at a promising stage," al-Halbousi said on his official Twitter account on Wednesday.

He said that he hopes for a strong turnout in the elections to meet the aspirations of Iraqis, reports Xinhua news agency.

Earlier in the year, a draft was passed to dissolve Parliament on October 7, just three days before the snap elections.

According to the Independent High Electoral Commission, about 24 million Iraqis are eligible to cast their ballots for 3,249 candidates, running individually and within 167 parties and coalitions, vying for 329 seats in the legislature.

The parliamentary elections, originally scheduled for 2022, were advanced in response to months of protests against corruption and the lack of public services.