The Council of Representatives (Parliament) of Iraq is holding snap elections on Sunday, TASS reports.

More than 3,200 candidates are running for 329 mandates, including 951 women and 789 candidates who have nominated themselves. At 83 polling stations, 109 political parties and 21 political coalitions formed on the basis of the ethnic-religious feature are running for seats in the legislature, including seven Shiite groups, four Sunni groups and two Kurdish groups.

The need for snap elections emerged following a wave of anti-government protests in the Arab republic in the fall of 2019 which led to the resignation of the government that had been formed in the wake of the elections in May 2018.

The elections will be held through the use of unprecedented security measures. In particular, border checkpoints and airports will be closed today.