ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Ammar al-Hakim, a prominent Shiite cleric and leader of Iraq’s National Wisdom (Hikma) Movement, met to discuss the need for a calm atmosphere during the upcoming parliamentary elections. 

“We discussed preparations for the upcoming elections and the importance of ensuring a calm atmosphere as they are conducted,” Hakim said in a statement on Thursday. 

The meeting came days after campaigning for the vote officially began, with top officials across the country urging integrity, unity, and a fair process free of exploitation. 

Over 7,750 candidates are contesting for one of the legislature’s 329 seats during the elections, set to be held on November 11. 

Prime Minister Sudani is heading his own coalition – the Reconstruction and Development Alliance – in a bid to serve another term as prime minister. 

Hakim’s National Wisdom Movement is also a key player in the vote. 

On Wednesday, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced that 292 candidates, lists, and alliances have so far been punished for violating campaigning rules.

Iraq's last parliamentary elections in October 2021 saw a record low turnout amid widespread public frustration.

Hakim said that during the meeting, he also briefed Sudani on “the outcomes of the meetings I held with Kurdish leaders during my visit to the Kurdistan Region.”

On Wednesday, Hakim met Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani in Erbil, discussing a host of topics including government reforms and Iraq’s upcoming elections.