Parliamentary elections hinder Iraqi production growth

Iraq will hold parliamentary elections, on 30 April 2014. After the previous poll, it took almost 10 months for a coalition government to form. There is every indication that this year's vote will produce a similar outcome, and the oil and gas sector is already feeling the impact. Iraq's ability to increase production and sell higher volumes of crude to the global market is being compromised and this will continue if there are protracted negotiations over formation of a coalition government.