Main focus of Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Elections spawn hope in Iraq

According to the country's electoral commission, more than 60 percent of voters participated in the parliamentary elections in Iraq on Sunday. Despite numerous terrorist attacks the vote was a success, writes the press, although the country must now demonstrate its will for democracy.

De Volkskrant - Netherlands

Even though the parliamentary elections in Iraq were overshadowed by terrorist attacks, the poll was still a success, writes the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant: "The intimidation tactics were only marginally successful, and that was the biggest victory. According to the latest figures from the Iraqi electional commission, 62 percent of voters went to the polls. There's no doubt about it, that's an impressive figure, expecially from the perspective of a Western country where only 53 percent of those eligible bothered to vote in local elections after a national political crisis. ... Nevertheless the success in Iraq remains extremely fragile. In all probability not a single list received enough votes to form a government. Consequently Iraqi politicians are going to have to continue showing a willingness to compromise. That's a quality you hardly find in a stable democracy, never mind a county that has inherited so much violence and repression." (09/03/2010)

» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Iraq

Neue Zürcher Zeitung - Switzerland

At roughly 62 percent, participation in the parliamentary elections in Iraq was higher than expected. But it's still too early to celebrate a victory for constitutional democracy, writes the Neue Zürcher Zeitung: "Along with the Americans and their allies, Iraq's direct neighbours Turkey, Syria and Iran are all unscrupulously pursuing their own interests in Iraq, with immediate consequences for the country. ... It is imaginable that after the withdrawal of the last American troops from Iraq reconstruction will progress and - from a purely external point of view - the country will modernise rapidly. It's also possible that the country's security forces which now count almost a million police officers and soldiers will bring peace and order to the country, thanks to adequate salaries financed by oil profits. But will they also introduce the rule of law? According to The Economist, the US spent 800 billion dollars in Irak in the last seven years - without a single guarantee." (09/03/2010)

» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Elections, » U.S., » Global, » Iraq
All available articles from » Martin Woker

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - Germany

The greatest challenge after the parliamentary elections in Iraq will be forming a stable government, writes the conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung: "It will take a couple of days before the official election results are known in Iraq. But even now one can say that the Iraqis have given the lie in an impressive way to the view that there is little interest in elections or democracy in the Arab World. Despite the terror threat from Al Qaida and bloody attacks, a majority of voters were not to be deterred from taking the often long and dangerous trip to the polling stations. ... Certainly, Iraq now faces the most difficult task: building a stable government on the basis of a less than clear-cut result. A good number of disputes will be fought out between Sunnis and Shi'ites, secularists and clerics. And the terrorists will continue to go to any lengths in their effort to destabilise the country, especially with the withdrawal of the American troops looming on the horizon." (09/03/2010)

» more information (external link, German)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Iraq

Expansión - Spain

Despite a series of violent attacks voter turnout for the Iraqi parliamentary elections on Sunday was unexpectedly high. This raises hopes of a democratic future for the country, business paper Expansión writes: "The brutal terrorist attacks that marred the elections in Iraq have also shown that a heroic majority of the population wants political freedom in the form of democracy. ... In the end Iraq's problem is probably a lack of national cohesion owing to the heterogeneity of the individual components that make up the country and their conflicting interests. Not only are there different peoples and ethnic groups but also cultural and religious differences. The substantial increase in voter turnout ... encourages us not to give up all hope of a democratic future for Iraq." (09/03/2010)

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Iraq

» To the complete press review of Tuesday, March 9, 2010