Is IHEC’s disqualification of candidates politicized?

The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has disqualified 187 candidates to date from the upcoming November elections over legal violations and failure to meet eligibility requirements. While IHEC insists the decisions are based solely on legal provisions under the electoral law, some observers have suggested political motives. However, Iraq Horizons analysis of the 65 candidates excluded in the latest round shows that some 60 percent are affiliated with Shia parties tied to the Coordination Framework, indicating that many disqualifications may stem from procedural violations rather than targeted political exclusion.