Despite reports yesterday that today was the absolute final deadline for setting the law to govern Iraq’s elections, it came as little surprise today when Iraq’s Parliament again failed to muster a quorum to even debate the issue, let alone vote on it.

Iraq’s election commission, whose deadline was missed today, was quick to spring into action to set yet another “last chance” deadline, now Iraq will absolutely have to pass a law by Saturday. The commission is meeting again Saturday to discuss delaying the vote.

The commission’s head, Faraj al-Haidari, says that in all likelihood the delay will happen even if that Saturday vote happens (and there is little indication it will), and has said it is virtually impossible to organize elections on time at this point.

Though a myriad of disputes over the law have delayed its passable, the major stumbling block at this point appears to be over the Kirkuk district, with Kurdish MPs boycotting the votes as Kurdistan’s regional government is seeking to annex the district into its autonomous region.

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