Iraq's President vows to hold early elections in response to a month of deadly protests

Iraq's President vowed today to hold early elections in response to a month of deadly protests, but demonstrators said the move fell far short of their demands for a political overhaul.

 

In his first televised address in weeks, President Barham Salih said the country's embattled Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was ready to step down, but there was so far no one to take his



place.

He pledged to hold early elections as soon as a new voting law and overnight commission was agreed, but his speech did not appear to impress demonstrators.

 

Iraq's leaders have scrambled to respond to massive protests that erupted on October 1 over unemployment and corruption, ballooning into demands for "the downfall of the regime."