Why voters are snubbing Iraq’s election

Why voters are snubbing Iraq’s election

Iraqis are going back to polls this month for the sixth time since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein more than 20 years ago. It is expected to be one of the most contested elections yet.

Political factions are competing for power, both in parliament and through armed groups, many backed by Iran. Candidates have been accused of making empty promises, of corruption and even of vote-buying.

Many Iraqis are planning to boycott the elections altogether because they say they are fed up with a system that deprives them of basic services and economic opportunities while the state profits.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher discusses the challenges facing Iraq in the November 11 election and what it will mean for millions who have waited too long for democratic change. She speaks to The National’s deputy foreign editor Aveen Karim and Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House.

Episoder(486)

What is the end goal of Israel’s new war in Lebanon?

What is the end goal of Israel’s new war in Lebanon?

About one million people have been forcibly displaced in Lebanon and almost a thousand killed in Israel’s renewed war with Hezbollah. The Iran-backed group fired missiles at Israel in early March, joi...

19 Mar 21min

Who will endure the highest cost of the Iran war?

Who will endure the highest cost of the Iran war?

US President Donald Trump said the American-Israeli war on Iran could end soon, without specifying an end date. But almost two weeks in, military operations only seem to be intensifying. The US claims...

13 Mar 21min

What happens if Iranian Kurdish groups enter the conflict?

What happens if Iranian Kurdish groups enter the conflict?

Conflicting reports have circulated in recent days about Iranian Kurdish groups possibly being armed by the US to launch a ground offensive in Iran. Many of these factions have long been exiled to the...

6 Mar 18min

How far will the conflict expand across the Middle East?

How far will the conflict expand across the Middle East?

Israel has begun a wave of strikes on Lebanon after warning residents in the south of the country to flee north of the Litani River on Wednesday. The forced displacement order impacts about 250,000 pe...

5 Mar 5min

What’s the goal of America's war on Iran?

What’s the goal of America's war on Iran?

Almost 2,000 targets in Iran have been hit by the US in the first four days of the war. US Central Command says it has severely degraded the country's air defences and destroyed hundreds of ballistic ...

4 Mar 6min

How much longer could the Iran conflict last?

How much longer could the Iran conflict last?

As the war on Iran enters its fourth day, Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on US assets in Arab countries ramp up, testing the limits of their patience. Recent remarks from US officials suggest a limited ...

3 Mar 6min

Where does an isolated Iran go from here?

Where does an isolated Iran go from here?

It has been a matter of days since the US and Israel launched air strikes against Iran, and already the impact has rippled across the Middle East.  Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and doz...

2 Mar 22min

What will happen to the thousands formerly held in Syria’s Al Hol camp?

What will happen to the thousands formerly held in Syria’s Al Hol camp?

The notorious Al Hol camp in north-east Syria finally closed its doors this week. Thousands of alleged ISIS members and their families had been held there for years in inhumane conditions and without ...

27 Feb 17min

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