Iraqi parliament held a session on Thursday to vote on the date of Iraq’s parliamentary and provincial council elections.

Earlier, the Iraqi parliamentary factions and Speaker Salim al-Jabouri agreed to vote either on May 12 to hold the elections or to postpone the elections to December, NRT reported.

Iraqi Shia National Alliance boycotted the parliament’s session on Thursday, aiming to fail the parliament to reach quorum.

The head of the Shia Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, and Iraqi Vice President, Nouri al-Maliki, also opposed the postponement of the Iraqi elections.

Maliki said postponing the elections is illegal and unconstitutional. Amiri also said the Badr organization is determined to hold elections on May 12 so as to preserve the Iraqi constitution.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy to Iraq said the United States “strongly” supports holding Iraqi elections on May 12 in line with the Iraqi Constitution.

“Postponing the elections would set a dangerous precedent, undermining the constitution and damaging Iraq’s long-term democratic development,” the embassy said in a statement

On Wednesday, the Iraqi Forces Alliance headed by Salah Jabouri offered two suggestions to the Parliament’s presidency, one of which called for the delay of the Iraqi elections.

Reporter’s code: 50101