Election candidates spar in 1st debate in Karbala

KARBALA / IraqiNews.com: The Karbala-based Future Center for Studies and Research on Thursday held a debate among provincial council election candidates, the first of its kind in the city since 2003. “The debate was held at a downtown hotel and was attended by a large number of candidates for the upcoming elections, in addition to political activists and current provincial council members,” the director of the center, Samir al-Hameeri, told IraqiNews.com news agency. The main aim of the debate is to educate the voters about the principles of democracy and to promote constructive dialogue, Hameeri noted. Founded in 2004, the Future Center for Studies and Research is concerned with strategic studies and scientific research. The holy Shiite city of Karbala lies 110 km southwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad. SS (P)/SR 1