Iraq’s parliamentary election underway: Voices from the ground

Al Mayadeen English’s correspondent in Iraq, Siraj Ghassani, reported on the ground as Iraqis headed to the polls for the 2025 parliamentary elections. From voters hopeful for a change of candidates that better suit their priorities, Ghassani captured the atmosphere across Baghdad as ballots were cast throughout the day. According to the Independent High Electoral Commission's (IHEC) spokeperson, Jumana Al-Ghalai, 39,285 polling stations were opened to receive Iraq’s 20,360,773 biometric-registered voters, with voting underway from 7 AM until the ballots automatically close at 6 PM.