Policy Analysis

Iraq’s model of opposition traditionally focuses on ideological frameworks and regime change at the expense of working within the political system to effect change.

The conflict between the Sadrists and the Shia Coordination Framework signals the potential for a new political order in Iraq and a shift in Iran's influence in the country.

Iraq’s Tishreen movement, driven by a reduced fear of political authority, is reshaping Iraqi politics by injecting fear of the popular will into the political elite.

The current stalemate in Iraq may lead to a complete collapse of its political institutions and prompt the international community to intervene if domestic political actors fail.

Time and again, the professional institutions and legal protections allegedly afforded to Iraqi journalists are failing them.

Turkey’s continued invasions in the KRI are part of Turkey’s broader regional strategy and expansion.

Some reject the idea of a potential ‘ISIS-ification’ of southern Iraq, but radicalization can occur anywhere when the social tensions are sufficiently severe. Southern Iraq certainly faces this dilemma.

Political tensions in Iraq have escalated amid ongoing disagreements on government formation as two main political blocs vye for power, with Iraq’s constitutional deadline for electing a president expiring earlier this week.

For high-ranking officials visiting the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, there is a well-established expectation that they will meet separately with three political figures from the same family and party: Masoud, Nechirvan, and Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

Hate speech and social dialogue have given rise to increased levels of violence against women in the KRI.

The fractured state of Iraqi politics is evident in the various forms of political discourse utilized by the country’s movements and factions.

After months of deadlock over who will hold the position of Iraq’s president and prime minister in a laborious process towards government formation, an agreement finally seems possible, and perhaps even likely.

In recent years, the Iraqi drug trade has gone from a purely commercial endeavor practiced by traffickers to a lucrative network with links to armed groups and influential political and tribal forces who rely on the profits to maintain their influence.

Due to economic instability and militia activity, human trafficking has become an increasingly urgent issue in Iraq.

Calls to reject the results of Iraq's October 10 parliamentary election by the Fateh alliance and other parties affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces that underperformed have garnered much attention. Yet the successful strategies and ideologies of relatively new parties that took seats in the recent election cycle deserve a closer look.

The explosion that rocked Basra on Tuesday may prove a harbinger of greater instability throughout the country in the post-elections period.

The question of how Iraqi militias will respond to their decreased presence in parliament becomes increasingly salient with the finalization of Iraq’s election results.

With rivers and lakes drying and record breaking droughts, there is a dire need for greater regional cooperation on water issues.

Pro-Iranian militia media channels are relying on distortion, character assassination, and misinformation to attract Iraqi audiences, after dependence on constant religious messaging proved futile.

Militias' repeated targeting of Kadhimi, including this week's attack on his home, emphasizes that Kadhimi has done something right in his past two years as Prime Minister of Iraq.