BAGHDAD — Iraq’s pivotal national elections were thrown back into turmoil and potential delay Wednesday when Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi vetoed part of an election law and sent it back to parliament.
Successful national elections, which are supposed to take place in January, are a crucial milestone for the departure of U.S. troops from Iraq. President Barack Obama wants to remove all American combat forces from Iraq by Aug. 31.
Al-Hashemi, a Sunni Muslim, charged that the measure doesn’t provide adequate representation for millions of displaced Iraqis, most of whom are thought to be Sunnis.
A senior official from Iraq’s independent elections commission said it was suspending election preparations, which had just gotten underway last week. “We don’t have a date for elections and we don’t have a law,” said Qassim al-Aboudi, the head of the commission’s electoral department.
Parliament members are to meet today to debate the changes al-Hashemi has demanded.
Al-Hashemi is one of the Presidency Council’s three members, each of whom has veto power over legislation.
