A public opinion poll of 4,500 Iraqis, by the government’s National Center for Information, found that 42% of the respondents preferred secular political forces as being more capable than religious forces of managing affairs of the state in the near future, while 31% thought otherwise.
In addition, 68% of respondents rejected the use of religious symbols in the local elections scheduled for January 31, and 73% stated that they intended to vote.
It is estimated that 15 million Iraqis are eligible to vote in the elections, in which 14,000 candidates, representing 410 political groups, are competing for 440 seats in the local councils of 14 provinces.
The remaining three Kurdish provinces and the province of Kirkuk will not participate in the local elections.
[It should be noted that recent press reports indicate that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki has been taking more secular than religious/sectarian positions in dealing with internal Iraqi political problems.]
Source: Elaph, January 19, 2009
