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(476)

Can Israel be trusted to distribute aid in Gaza?

Can Israel be trusted to distribute aid in Gaza?

Chaotic scenes unfolded in Gaza this week as large crowds gathered at aid hubs set up by a US and Israeli-backed organisation, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. After three months of an Israeli-impose...

30 Mai 202524min

Sanctions are easing but can Syria hold together?

Sanctions are easing but can Syria hold together?

Last week’s announcement by President Donald Trump on lifting US sanctions on Syria seemed to have a refreshing effect for a country that has been reeling from political divisions and economic turmoil...

23 Mai 202526min

Will Middle East tension ease as a result of Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf?

Will Middle East tension ease as a result of Donald Trump’s visit to the Gulf?

US President Donald Trump has returned to Washington after sealing hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of investments on his first visit to the Gulf since returning to office. His stops in Riyadh, ...

16 Mai 202521min

What’s at risk under Israel’s planned Gaza offensive?

What’s at risk under Israel’s planned Gaza offensive?

Israel’s security cabinet has approved an expanded military offensive in Gaza that would push the entire population into a small pocket in the south of the strip. Shortly after the decision, Israeli P...

9 Mai 202522min

Trump’s first 100 days: What ‘America first’ means for the Middle East

Trump’s first 100 days: What ‘America first’ means for the Middle East

During the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s administration, he has signed more executive orders than any other president in the same time span. They are part of his mandate to put "America first". But...

2 Mai 202522min

Why Christians in occupied Palestine may be at risk of disappearing

Why Christians in occupied Palestine may be at risk of disappearing

In his last public address on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis called for an end to the violence in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation there "dramatic and deplorable”. His message came only a day bef...

25 Apr 202521min

Why legal action against alleged Israeli war crimes is so slow

Why legal action against alleged Israeli war crimes is so slow

When the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last year accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant of crimes against humanity, it seemed...

18 Apr 202529min

Lebanon’s civil war: The feud that never ended

Lebanon’s civil war: The feud that never ended

The Lebanese civil war that broke out in 1975 marked a dark chapter in the country’s history and would have an impact on the region for decades afterwards. The conflict lasted for 15 years, as armed m...

11 Apr 202538min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
i-retten
stopp-verden
forklart
aftenpodden-usa
nokon-ma-ga
popradet
det-store-bildet
dine-penger-pengeradet
fotballpodden-2
aftenbla-bla
rss-ness
rss-gukild-johaug
hanna-de-heldige
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
e24-podden
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
grasoner-den-nye-kalde-krigen