Electoral campaign begins in Iraq

Iraq has officially launched the campaign for its general election despite a row over the participation of candidates with alleged ties to former president Saddam Hussein's regime.

Pictures of candidates have been posted on the streets of major cities across the country. The campaign is expected to last until March the 6th. However, the row over banned candidates is still to be resolved. State-run TV reported that the two most prominent Sunni politicians have been barred from standing in the election by an appeals panel. Salah al-Mutlak and Dhafir al-Ani, both key members of a political coalition, have been banned over links to the Baath party.

According to Iraq media reports, some 170 barred candidates filed appeals to the seven-judge panel, but the final results have not been announced.

Workers install a campaign poster for candidate Sheikh Sabah  al-Saadi, a candidate with the Iraqi National Coalition, in  Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, Feb. 12, 2010. Iraq has officially  kicked off the election season ahead of the March nationwide  vote. Campaign posters were plastered across Baghdad and other  cities on Friday, urging people to the polls.  (AP Photo/ Hadi Mizban)