![Iraq deputy prime minister suggests elections may be delayed](https://www.jurist.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/jurist-white-text.png)
[JURIST] Iraq deputy prime minister Barham Salih, the former Prime Minister of the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq, has suggested for the first time that democratic elections scheduled for January may have to be delayed due to the level of violence in the country. Salih said "[h]olding free and fair elections on time is an obligation that we have undertaken towards the Iraqi people," but added: "nearer the time, the Iraqi government, the United Nations, the independent election commission and the national assembly will have to engage in a real and hard-headed dialogue to assess the situation." The UK Guardian has more.