Ammar al-Hakim, the leader of the powerful Shi´ite party of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council and Iraqi politician Mithal al-Alousi were among the first to arrive at a polling station set up in the Rasheed Hotel to cast their ballots.

Hakim lauded the day as a milestone in Iraq´s modern history.

After casting his ballot at the same hotel, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called on all Iraqis to take part, despite the attacks that killed and wounded dozens in the run-up to the election.

Voters in the ethnically and religiously divided country can pick between mainly Shi´ite Islamist parties that have dominated Iraq since Saddam Hussein´s fall and their secular rivals.

The turnout was very low to begin with but election officials said they expected more people to turn up as the day progressed.