Policy Analysis

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 a sizable number of independents in Iraq’s next parliament, young Iraqi MPs are hoping to push the Iraqi government to finally deliver on their protest demands from 2019.

While Iraq’s new electoral law did have some successes, the reforms it attempted to achieve will only be able to come to fruition if the Iraqi electorate is convinced that elections can make a tangible difference in their lives.

Preliminary election results illustrate Iraqi opposition to foreign influence and the impact of the Marja'iyya of Najaf, as the Sadrists lead the coalition-building process to form the next parliament.

On October 10, a new generation of Iraqi voters, who have lived their entire lives in a fledgling democracy rife with bureaucracy and corruption underpinned by sectarian patronage networks, could have their say in who governs them.

Iraqis are preparing to participate in the country’s most important elections since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003. As all parties prepare for the ballot, interviews with those who choose to participate and those boycotting it emphasize what’s at stake.

Uncontrolled weapons are the most prominent barrier to the electoral process, along with insufficient international observation to ensure free and transparent elections.

Recent polling shows that a majority of Iraqis anticipate that elections will lead to increased security and political problems as militias and dominant factors are expected to maintain control.

With influential billionaire Aziz Akhannouch announced as the new head of government, the former Moroccan prime minister and his party—the PJD—are grappling with a significant loss of power.

Algeria’s new elections law threatens to derail progress on women’s participation in country politics and leadership.

As Iraq’s electoral coalitions campaign for parliament spots, old alliances and political players are likely to prevent the elections from leading to major changes in Iraq’s political sphere.

As Raisi carves out his role as Iran’s new president, the international community must recognize and seek to bring to light his involvement in Iran’s state-led 1988 massacre of prisoners.

In Iraq, pre-election polls indicate likely difficulties for Tishreen protest movement to translate popular support into electoral gains, due to widespread concerns about electoral legitimacy and political violence.

While plagued by difficulties and divisions, the hope created by the Hirak movement is still alive, and Algerians should work to cultivate it.

Reforms are needed to open greater opportunities for Iraqi women's political representation.

Without radical reform, Iraq faces potential dissolution and geographic fragmentation in the case of an increasingly likely economic crisis.

The Kadhimi government must move quickly if it wants to avoid a potential popular uprising among dissatisfied Shias in Iraq.

The history of Iraq’s political parties helps contextualize why Iraq’s current political scene is so fragmented, and what remains missing.

Islamist influences, independent candidate lists, and low participation rates all threaten the success of Algeria's upcoming legislative elections.