BAGHDAD -- Representatives of Iraq's Christian community are demanding that legislative-seat quotas for Christians and other minority communities should be established in the new election law, RFE/RL's Radio Free Iraq (RFI) reports.
Lawmaker Yunadim Kanna, general secretary of the Democratic Assyrian Movement, told RFI that "a five-seat quota has been proposed for the Christian community in the draft election law, which is the same number granted under the provincial-elections law."
He said this quota is "the bare-minimum" alternative to implementing a proportional-representation system.
Lawmaker Khalid al-Asadi, of the Shi'ite United Iraqi Alliance, told RFI that "a quota of one seat should be allocated to each minority group." Al-Asadi added that communities that feel they should have more seats should "contest the elections just like other major communities."
Hikmat al-Hakim, a spokesman for the Higher Committee of Roman Catholic Chaldean Organizations in Iraq, told RFI that if the five-seat proposal is rejected, "the Christian community will initiate talks with the major blocs on the possibility of joining them in return for higher representation."
He said a coalition with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law list is possible.
On October 20, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Iraqi lawmakers to pass the new election law in time to hold elections in January.
Lawmaker Yunadim Kanna, general secretary of the Democratic Assyrian Movement, told RFI that "a five-seat quota has been proposed for the Christian community in the draft election law, which is the same number granted under the provincial-elections law."
He said this quota is "the bare-minimum" alternative to implementing a proportional-representation system.
Lawmaker Khalid al-Asadi, of the Shi'ite United Iraqi Alliance, told RFI that "a quota of one seat should be allocated to each minority group." Al-Asadi added that communities that feel they should have more seats should "contest the elections just like other major communities."
Hikmat al-Hakim, a spokesman for the Higher Committee of Roman Catholic Chaldean Organizations in Iraq, told RFI that if the five-seat proposal is rejected, "the Christian community will initiate talks with the major blocs on the possibility of joining them in return for higher representation."
He said a coalition with Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's State of Law list is possible.
On October 20, U.S. President Barack Obama urged Iraqi lawmakers to pass the new election law in time to hold elections in January.
