ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on Monday called on Iraqi politicians to avoid inflammatory rhetoric and adhere to the law to safeguard the electoral process, a day before the country heads to the polls for parliamentary elections. 

In a statement to The New Region, Mohamed al-Hassan hailed the Iraqi people’s determination to hold the elections on time, adding that the UN mission is “closely monitoring” the electoral process. Hasan also lauded the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), saying that the body has made “significant efforts to ensure that the voting is conducted in a transparent and organized manner.” 

The UN official called on Iraqi political parties to “show a spirit of national responsibility and respect for the law, and to avoid inflammatory speeches or practices that may affect the conduct of the elections or the security of voters."

Hassan’s remarks come a day after Iraq held a special early polling for the country’s security forces, eligible displaced persons, and detainees in designated institutions, where over 1.3 million voters were allowed a ballot. The early elections concluded with a turnout rate of over 82 percent.

Iraq is poised to hold the general elections on Tuesday, where more than 7,750 candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats under a proportional representation system.

Around 20 million people have registered to cast their ballots in the upcoming general election, out of a total of some 29 million who were eligible to submit their biometric data to participate in the process.