Iraq Sees Surge In Voting Across Most Of The Country (REVISED)

 

Iraq’s Election Commission released partial early results for voter turnout in the provinces. It showed a surge of voting across the country compared to the last parliamentary elections in 2021.

New Provincial Govts In Iraq After Dec Election

 

Most of the new provincial governments in Iraq were decided in February. The Coordination Framework took most of the governors as expected because their main rival Muqtada al-Sadr boycotted. The list did not have its way however.

Final Results For Iraq’s Provincial Elections

(Wikipedia)

The final results of Iraq’s provincial elections have been announced. The ruling Coordination Framework won the most seats and wants to control the south. That will put it into conflict with several governors that won the most votes in their governorates. On the other hand the Kurds misplayed their hand running separately because the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) wanted to dominate the community.

Coordination Framework May Not Get Full Control Of Iraq’s Southern Provinces As It Hoped

The Coordination Framework that already controls the central government was the largest winner in December’s provincial vote. That was to be expected as its main rival Moqtada al-Sadr called a boycott. It turns out the list may not run the south as it expected.

Coordination Framework Looks To Take Control Of Most Of Iraq’s Provinces

As expected the ruling Coordination Framework was the biggest winner in Iraq’s 2023 provincial elections. Even though it ran as three separate lists, Nuri al-Maliki’s State of Law, Hadi Amiri’s Nabni, and Haidar al-Abadi and Ammar Hakim’s National State Forces Alliance, they won the most seats up for grabs on governorate councils. They will now re-unite and attempt to control most of Iraq’s provinces solidifying their hold on the Iraqi state.

Violence Slightly Up In Iraq As Islamic State Launches Revenge Campaign

 

Violence in Iraq slightly increased in December as the Islamic State launched a revenge campaign for the death of its leader. Pro-Iran groups also carried out one attack during the month. Overall attacks remained at an all-time low however.

Security In Iraq Dec 1-7, 2022

At the start of December there was a jump in attacks by the Islamic State. This might have been in response to the group announcing the death of its leader Abu Al Hassan Al-Hashemi Al-Qurashi. It wanted to show that it was still around after this loss by increasing operations in Iraq.

3 Year Anniversary of Iraq’s Protests Shows Dwindling Movement

Demonstration in Maysan to mark 3 yr anniversary of protest movement (Al Mirbad)

October 25 marked the three-year anniversary of Iraq’s protest movement. People came out in 10 provinces but not in the large numbers seen in previous times.

2021 In Iraq In Review

(AFP)

End of Iraq’s Protest Movement

 

2021 marked the end of Iraq’s protest movement. In January a Nasiriya activist was arrested as part of a government crackdown which restarted demonstrations in the city. The crowds would demand the Dhi Qar governor step down. He responded by calling out the police which used force leading to twelve people being killed. The violence would eventually lead the governor to resign in February and the protests to end afterward. In May an activist was assassinated in Karbala leading to demonstrations there. This would start the call to boycott the 2021 elections. This split the movement and ended the protests.

Marches Commemorate Anniversary Of Iraq’s Protest Movement

(Al Mirbad)

October 25 saw marches in four provinces to mark the two-year anniversary of the protest movement in Iraq. In Wasit and Maysan people demanded that the killers of activists be brought to justice. In Basra demonstrators called for the murderers of two journalists be found and prosecuted. Finally, in Dhi Qar there was a commemoration ceremony.

New Wave of Protests In Iraq Over Executions Of Activists

(Al Mirbad)

On May 25 thousands of Iraqis came out across eight provinces to protest the continued murder of activists. This was sparked by the assassination of Ihab Jawad al-Wazni a leader of the Karbala demonstrations on May 8. In Baghdad the riot police broke up the gathering and killed two.

Swan Song Of Iraq’s Protest Movement?

(Al Hurra)

After people marked the October 25 anniversary of the protest movement in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square there were clashes with the security forces and some of the sit-in tents were burned. Activists later accused infiltrators and political parties of these acts. They ended up leaving the square which had been occupied for over a year although in fewer numbers in recent months. The Basra governor then closed down the sit-in camp in Basra city leading to confrontations. The authorities and pro-Iran groups appear to be winning this battle as there have been few demonstrations in recent days.

Anniversary Of Iraq’s Protest Movement Highlights Divisions

                                                                (Al Hurra)

 

October 25 marked another anniversary for the protest movement when major demonstrations and clashes broke out across Baghdad and the south. To commemorate the event there were marches but also signs of the weakness of the movement that once hoped to transform the country’s political system. 

Ebb And Flow Of Protests In Iraq

                                                                                    (Al Mirbad)
July marked the return of the annual protests in Iraq demanding services, jobs, pay and better governance. Unlike previous years when Baghdad and Basra were the centers of activity, this time Dhi Qar has seen the most consistent mobilization of people across several different cities in the province. After it seemed like the demonstrations were going to spread at the end of July they suddenly subsided. Then pro-Iran groups kicked into action going after activists. Together that meant by August there have been fewer governorates involved.

Returns of Displaced In Iraq Continue To Decline Despite Govt Efforts

The rate of return for Iraq’s displaced (IDPs) has taken another major drop in the spring of 2020. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) the pre-eminent group working with IDPs blamed the COVID-19 lockdown which has limited movement in the country. Even before that however fewer and fewer people were attempting to go home because of the lack of reconstruction, security, reconciliation, and jobs. In fact, some new displacement in small numbers continues as well because of those issues.

National Protests Start In Iraq During The Weekend UPDATED

Burning tires to block highway in Muthanna (Al Mirbad)

Protests which began on a consistent basis the second week of July escalated over the weekend. On Saturday July 25 there were gatherings in six southern provinces tied for the most this summer. The next day people came out in seven governates including Baghdad where the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) fired at demonstrators killing two despite a promise by the prime minister to protect them from such violence.

Protests Return To Iraq Can New Govt Respond To Their Demands?

May 10 protest in Baghdad (AFP)

Just a few days after new Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kazemi had his government approved by parliament young people returned to the streets of Iraq demanding better governance. This is putting added pressure upon the premier to carry out reforms.

Poverty Rate In Iraq Down But Still Higher Than Pre-War Level

Iraq’s Planning Ministry announced that poverty had declined over the last two years, but it was still above the level seen before the 2014 war against the Islamic State. There were also huge variances in the percentage of people below the poverty line depending upon the province they lived in.

Sadr Tries To Impose His Will On Iraq’s Protests

Sadrists at the protest sites are called the "Blue Hats" (Al Ghad Press)

Since Moqtada al-Sadr told his followers to return to the sit-in squares on January 31 there has been nothing but conflict. It appears that Sadr wants to impose his will upon the demonstrators through force and intimidation.

New Govt Crackdown On Iraq Protests

Burned protest tents in Nasiriya (Al Mirbad)

Following Moqtada al-Sadr’s withdrawal of support for the anti-government protest movement there has been a concerted effort by the security forces and Hashd to break up some of the major sit-in sites. This has led to several deadly days of confrontations and showed the resilience of the protesters.