LONDON: The United Nations on Thursday said it would assist the Iraqi authorities with making upcoming elections “transparent and credible.”

The pledge came during a meeting between UN Special Representative for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and Head of the Al-Hikma National Movement, Sayyid Ammar Al-Hakim in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad.

Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi had called for a parliamentary election in October in response to demands by pro-democracy activists.

The parliamentary vote is set to be held under a new electoral law that reduces the size of constituencies and eliminates list-based voting in favor of votes for individual candidates.

During the meeting, the UN envoy and Al-Hakim “discussed the current political situation, including preparations for the upcoming elections,” the UN said in a statement.

(With AFP)