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(493)

Can Iraq shake off the grip of foreign influence?

Can Iraq shake off the grip of foreign influence?

Iraq is in a race against time to choose a prime minister but, even after weeks of deadlock, the Co-ordination Framework – a coalition of major Iraqi Shiite parties – is still deliberating. The countr...

24 Apr 15min

Death penalty: The new threat to Palestinian detainees

Death penalty: The new threat to Palestinian detainees

Hussein Al Zweidi’s two-year detention in Israeli prisons were some of the hardest days of his life. He described a practice of physical and sexual abuse against prisoners, as well as poor conditions ...

17 Apr 20min

What will come of the talks between Lebanon and Israel?

What will come of the talks between Lebanon and Israel?

US-brokered negotiations between Lebanon and Israel began this week in Washington. This comes after at least 1,500 Lebanese have been killed in Israeli strikes since March and more than one million re...

16 Apr 23min

Theatre of war: How AI videos and propaganda clips manipulated US-Iran conflict

Theatre of war: How AI videos and propaganda clips manipulated US-Iran conflict

US President Donald Trump went from warning about the demise of a “whole civilisation” to announcing a “big day for world peace” in a matter of hours. It was not the first time he has used his Truth S...

10 Apr 18min

EU's Kallas warns of 'slippery slope' if Iran controls Strait of Hormuz

EU's Kallas warns of 'slippery slope' if Iran controls Strait of Hormuz

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned on Thursday that Iran's control of the Strait of Hormuz could lead down a “slippery slope” of imposing tolls and taxes over international waters, which she d...

9 Apr 10min

Escalation or diplomacy: Where does the war go from here?

Escalation or diplomacy: Where does the war go from here?

In his address to the nation on Wednesday, President Donald Trump said the war with Iran was nearing its end and the US had decimated the country’s military capabilities. But parts of his speech contr...

3 Apr 24min

How much longer can Israel sustain the war it started?

How much longer can Israel sustain the war it started?

It has been a month since Israel, along with the US, launched strikes on Iran, leading the Middle East into yet another conflict it tried to avoid. Iran has responded by firing waves of missiles and d...

27 Mar 23min

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

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