THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN COVERING THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION CAMPAIGNS AND DETERMINING THE CHOICES OF THE IRAQI VOTER” (A SURVEY STUDY ON THE GOVERNORATES OF IRAQ, EXCEPT FOR THE KURDISTAN REGION)

It is a universally acknowledged that media coverage of electoral campaigns plays an important role in guiding the voter’s choices through introducing him to the political blocs and their candidates, and the election laws that define the rights and duties of the voter. Furthermore, the greatest burden falls on the state media which is supposed to take into consideration the fairness and equity in its media coverage towards all candidates for the parliamentary elections in terms of size and form.

The current study, which is entitled, “The role of the media in covering the parliamentary election campaigns and determining the choices of the Iraqi voter” aims to clarify the role of the media in covering the parliamentary electoral campaigns and their ability to determine the choices of the Iraqi voter during the elections taking place in Iraq, and to highlight the role of the media in covering the media campaigns in the parliamentary elections, and to reveal the methods and methods used in the media campaigns in the parliamentary elections, and to diagnose the obstacles Facing media campaigns in the parliamentary elections.

Accordingly, the analysis of this study revealed some conclusions: To begin with the media coverage of parliamentary election campaigns affected the choices of the Iraqi voter by mobilizing public opinion to participate in the elections. In addition, it persuades reluctant voters to participate in the elections by providing them with the realistic expected results of the elections. Furthermore, it introduces those to new candidates who did not have any previous information about the candidates. In conclusion, media coverage of parliamentary election campaigns changed the voter’s choices and made him elect candidates other than the ones he intended to elect.

It is interesting to note that the above strategies have succeeded in reducing the tendencies of the Iraqi voter to elect candidates on a tribal or sectarian basis.  Moreover, it has succeeded in limiting the phenomenon of election on a national or political basis at a lower level than other candidates, which gave him a greater chance in choosing the voter for him.

As a final point, it should be mentioned that most of the media coverage of the parliamentary election campaigns in Iraq has moved away from neutrality. Thus, in a general way, the media coverage of the parliamentary election campaigns in Iraq was random, and it succeeded in some areas and failed in others. Therefore, this led to affecting the voter’s choices in both cases, including a negative and positive impact.