Interim Iraqi govt to spend $90mn in allowing expatriate Iraqis to vote

The government has allocated $90mn for overseas voting from the $340mn set aside for the elections, a statement from interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi’s office said.
“The government expects the independent High Election Commission and the UN to do their best to make the elections a success ... and allow all Iraqis inside and outside the country to participate in the democratic process,” the statement said.
The elections will choose a 275-member assembly that will select a cabinet and draw up a constitution.
The US, which also opposes non-resident Iraqis voting, says it has allocated $871mn for democracy in Iraq, including $60mn for elections and $30mn to support political parties it sees as moderate.
UN officials say it will cost about $90 a head for expatriates to register and vote, compared with $24 for each voter in Iraq.
Iraq has a population of 26mn. There are an estimated 3-4mn Iraqis living mainly in Jordan, Iran, Syria, Europe, Brazil and the US, most of whom left their homeland due to poverty, repression and war.

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