On September 24 the Iraqi Parliament approved new electoral legislation, putting an end to the quota system that granted a minimum number of seats to minority communities. Elections are expected to be held in January 2009 and will take place according to the new system in fourteen of the country's provinces, all Iraqi provinces, that is, except the ones in Kurdish territory and the city of Kirkuk.

The decision has been unanimously condemned by politicians in Iraq and abroad, by non-governmental organizations, and indeed by representatives of the minorities affected by the measure. The UN's special representative in Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, has criticized the removal of the article and has asked for it to be reinstated at the parliamentary session on October 15. The Prime Minister of Iraq, Nuri al-Maliki, has also attacked the measure and has called for legislators to review their decision.

Out of the various communities affected by the measure, the Christian community has been the most vocal in its opposition, with public protests held last Sunday in Mosul. Iraq's other minority peoples include the Kurds (15-20% of the population) and the Turkmen (3% of the population, comparable to the Christian population). According to Minority Rights Group, there are also communities of Chaldeans (750,000), Yazidis (600,000), Assyrians (225,000 - see here for a press release [pdf] issued by an Assyrian organization), and Shabaks.

Further information:

• AFP: UN criticises Iraq's failure to include minorities in vote law
• Press release issued by the Associazione per i Popoli Minacciati: Iraq: la nuova legge elettorale penalizza le minoranze
• Iraqi Parliament