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.

Coordination Framework Takes Over Maysan Govt From Sadr

Maysan in the south was one of the major contested provinces after December’s election. That was because it had been run by Sadr’s followers for years and the Coordination Framework wanted to put that to an end. The list was finally successful.

Sadrists And Asaib Ahl Al-Haq Return To Violence In Southern Iraq

(AFP)

The Sadrists and Asaib Ahl Al-Haq have a longtime rivalry which has heated up once again in southern Iraq. After the December 2023 provincial elections the two sides have resorted to violence in an attempt to assert their control.

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.

Another Study Of Climate Change Induced Displacement In Iraq

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has started tracking Iraqis displaced by climate change. They have found the phenomena is increasing with each passing month. The group tried to deduce the main causes of this new dilemma Iraq is facing.

More Iraqis Displaced Due To Climate Change

(IOM)

The United Nations said that Iraq is one of the top 5 nations in the world susceptible to climate change. Fertile land is becoming arid due to drought and desertification. Rain has decreased along with the flow of water down the Euphrates and Tigris due to dams in neighboring countries. Salinity and pollution in the water is increasing as well. Crops have declined as a result along with livestock and fishing. Thousands of people have left their homes because they can no longer make a living. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) released a survey for September 2023 that found the number of people displaced due to the environment has increased.

Climate change induced displacement increases in Iraq

(IOM)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the premier group working with the Iraqi government on the country’s displaced (IDP) problem. In recent years it has been documenting a new phenomenon which is people being forced out of their homes by climate change. The United Nations said Iraq is the fifth most vulnerable country to the environmental crisis.  In a July report the IOM noted that this new IDP population is increasing.

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.

Review The Prince of the Marshes, And Other Occupational Hazards Of A Year In Iraq

Stewart, Rory, The Prince of the Marshes, And Other Occupational Hazards Of A Year In Iraq, Orlando, Austin, New York, San Diego, Toronto, London: Harcourt Inc, 2006

 

Rory Stewart was a British Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) official in Maysan and Dhi Qar provinces in southern Iraq. He was tasked with setting up local governments and starting construction projects. His book The Prince of the Marshes, And Other Occupation Hazards Of A Year In Iraq documents all the problems he faced trying to achieve those two goals. That included a CPA administration in Baghdad that didn’t care about the governorates, dozens of competing parties, sheikhs and tribes, and an uprising by the followers of Moqtada al-Sadr. His firsthand experience goes with others from this period who believed America made a hollow promise that it came to Iraq to create a democracy and rebuild the country.

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.

Iraq’s Electricity Grid Shuts Down During Summer Heat

(Al Mirbad)

As temperatures regularly rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit/38 degrees Celsius per day Iraq’s power grid shut down. That trickled down throughout society as water went off because it relies upon electricity and drove people out into the streets in protest.

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.

Sadrists Attack And Kill Protesters While Proclaiming They Are The Saviors Of Iraq

Protest tents burned by the Sadrists in Nasiriya (Al Mirbad)

On November 27 the Sadrist movement claimed it was a force for change and reform in Iraq while attacking a protest camp in Dhi Qar that left 5 demonstrators dead and many more wounded.

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. 

Iraqis Mark One Year Anniversary Of Protest Movement And Voice Frustration

(NINA)

Iraqis came out into the streets of several Iraqi cities on October 1 to commemorate the one year anniversary of the protest movement. Many voiced frustration at not having their demands being met by the government.

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.