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“Elections in Basra have gone very well”

15th December 2005

Press release

Keywords: elections/Iraq/Basra

Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP has spent the day observing the elections in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, at the head of an international delegation of observers.

Baroness Nicholson said: “It has been an excellent day here in Basra, where our multinational monitoring team has visited polling stations and monitored the voting over a number of hours”.

Baroness Nicholson and her colleagues were able to talk freely with Iraqi voters of both sexes, all ages and from a wide range of different backgrounds, as well as discussing the electoral system with election officials in polling stations.

She commented: “Iraqis we spoke to are clearly very enthusiastic for free and fair elections, and there has visibly been a high turnout.  The people are certainly confident that these elections will herald a new era of democracy and human rights, bringing with it a better life for all.”

She added: “I am particularly delighted by the response of women to the elections. We spoke with a number of female voters who expressed the wish to be involved personally in the electoral process, with several declaring their ambition to stand as candidates next time round.”

She concluded: “While it is too early to comment on the election as a whole, my experience today bodes well for the future.”

Ends.