Iraqis went to the polls on December 18 for the first provincial elections in a decade, setting the stage for parliamentary elections in 2025. The ruling Shi’ite Muslim alliance, close to Iran, is expected to maintain its grip on power, while populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, its main rival, boycotted the elections. The vote is viewed as a test of Iraq’s young democracy, established after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
Voter apathy is on the rise among the youth, who feel disconnected from the benefits of Iraq’s oil wealth. The ruling alliance, known as the Coordination Framework, is likely to consolidate power at the local level, strengthening its influence through state oil wealth. The results will shape the political landscape leading up to the 2025 parliamentary elections.