The EU's foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas, on Sunday announced that the bloc will monitor the November 11 parliamentary elections in Iraq.
Speaking alongside Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein before an EU meeting in Luxembourg, Ms Kallas called for “peaceful, inclusive and transparent” elections.
“You have elections coming up, and you have also requested EU support as independent observers of these elections, which we are also confirming,” Ms Kallas said. The November 11 Iraqi elections are the sixth since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, which toppled the long-time dictator Saddam Hussein.
Campaigning has already been marred by incidents, including the killing in a car bomb of Baghdad councillor Safaa Al Mashhadani, who was a candidate for the Sovereignty Alliance, one of Iraq's largest Sunni Muslim coalitions.
“We are hoping for a stable region, so that means also democratic developments in different countries that we are trying to also observe,” Ms Kallas said.
Before the meeting, EU officials said they remained concerned about the influence of outside actors on Iraq – in an apparent reference to neighbouring Iran. The majority of Iraq's 329 MPs represent Shiite parties aligned with Iran. Several parties are linked to paramilitary armed factions.
“There are issues about the sovereignty and the outside influence over Iraq that we would like to discuss with them,” a senior EU official said ahead of the meeting. In September, the EU, alongside France and Britain, restored sanctions on Iran's trade, finance and transport sectors over its nuclear programme.
Responding to a question from The National about Iran's influence on Iraq, Mr Hussein said that it was up to Iraqis to decide. “The decision and decision-making process is in Baghdad, so the Iraqis are taking the decision,” he said.
“Of course, we follow the situation and the tension between Iran and other countries, but we are not going to be part of any conflict or any movement.”
In Luxembourg, topics discussed between Ms Kallas and Mr Hussein included migration, democracy, human rights, development co-operation, trade, energy, regional affairs and security, according to the EU council.
Addressing Ms Kallas, Mr Hussein said: “You are right that we passed the stage of talking only about security. We are now playing an important role in the region and in the area.”
EU officials have said they support Iraq moving away from security challenges to economic reforms. “For the first time, the focus of our discussions is shifting away from security towards more public services and economic progress,” Ms Kallas said.
“Looking ahead, it's crucial that the government's broader reform agenda delivers tangible results for the Iraqi people and addresses their legitimate demands for better governance and opportunities,” she added.
Iraq has, in the past decades, failed to break free from dependence on oil exports. Fiscal reforms have been blocked by politicians who benefit from a sectarian political system that favours corruption.
Earlier this week, The National revealed that the appointment of 93 new ambassadors revealed a pattern of nepotism and political quota-trading. Appointees appeared to include relatives of senior officials, political loyalists and figures linked to armed groups under sanctions.
Among the new envoys are Qais Al Amiri, brother-in-law of the US-sanctioned Popular Mobilisation Forces chief Faleh Al Fayyad, and Rahman Al Amiri, a relative of Hadi Al Amiri, leader of the Iran-backed Badr Organisation. For years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs avoided naming new envoys because it could not balance the demands of Iraq’s competing political blocs.
