Iraq votes in first elections since victory over IS | News | DW | 12.05.2018
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Iraq votes in first elections since victory over IS

Iraqis are voting electronically to elect lawmakers for 329 parliamentary seats. There is no clear front-runner as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faces stiff competition from his predecessor.
Watch video 02:42

Iraq holds first election since 'Islamic State' defeat

Polls opened across Iraq on Saturday in the first parliamentary elections since the government declared victory over the "Islamic State" (IS) militant group late last year.

The elections take place as Iraq struggles to rebuild itself after nearly four years of war with IS that has reduced several of its cities to rubble.

Read more: Iraq election: Unlikely candidate emerges as face of the youth

Iraq polls: At a glance

  • About 7,000 candidates from dozens of political alliances are vying for 329 parliamentary seats.
  • The vote is being conducted electronically for the first time in an effort to reduce fraud.
  • The results are expected within 48 hours of polling offices closing.
  • Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faces stiff competition from political parties with closer ties to Iran.
  • Abadi's most powerful opponents are his predecessor, Nouri al-Maliki, and the "Fatah" alliance — Arabic for "Conquest" — headed by Hadi al-Amiri, a former transport minister and commander of the Shiite Badr force, closely linked to Iran.

Read more: The Iraq War: In the beginning was the lie
Watch video 03:41

The orphans of Mosul

'I will mark an 'X' on my ballot'

Jamal Mowasawi, a 61-year-old butcher, said: "I will participate but I will mark an 'X' on my ballot. There is no security, no jobs, no services. Candidates are just looking to line their pockets, not to help people."

Hazem al-Hassan, a 50-year-old fishmonger in Baghdad said: "It's the same faces and same programs. Abadi is the best of the worst; at least under his rule we had the liberation (from IS)."

Fifty-eight-year-old Jassim Mohsen, who fought against IS with the paramilitary forces, said he's casting his vote for the Fatah alliance because of their personal sacrifices.

"I elected the Fatah list because they are the only ones who fought Daesh and gave blood," he said, referring to IS by the Arabic acronym for the militant group.

Read more: The legacy of the 'Islamic State'

Key issues: The defeat of IS has brought insurgent-style attacks across Iraq but the country continues to struggle with an economic downturn sparked in part by a drop in global oil prices, corruption, sectarian divisions and years of instability.

Lengthy talks: Negotiations to form a government are likely to drag on for months as dozens of political parties attempt to stitch together a coalition large enough to hold a majority of seats in parliament.

ap/jm (AP, Reuters)

  • Militants in Raqqa

    What is the 'Islamic State'?

    Where did it come from?

    The "Islamic State" (IS) — also known as ISIL, ISIS and Daesh — is an al-Qaida splinter group with a militant Sunni Islamist ideology. It emerged in the aftermath of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and is led by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Their goal is to create a worldwide "caliphate." It gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after a blitzkrieg military campaign that resulted in the capture of Mosul.

  • Map showing areas controlled by various armed groups in Iraq and Syria

    What is the 'Islamic State'?

    Where does it operate?

    IS is believed to be operational in more than a dozen countries across the world. It controls territories in Iraq and Syria. However, the group has lost much of the territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria at the height of its expansion in 2014.

  • Peshmerga fighters

    What is the 'Islamic State'?

    Who is fighting back?

    The US leads an international coalition of more than 50 countries, including several Arab nations. Russia, Iran and its Lebanese Shiite ally Hezbollah, which all support the Syrian government, also fight IS. Regional forces such as the Kurdish peshmerga (above) and US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters, fight IS on the ground. The Iraqi army and militia have pushed IS from large parts of the country.

  • Oil production in the Rojava region of Syria

    What is the 'Islamic State'?

    How does it fund itself?

    One of IS' main sources of income has been oil and gas. At one point, it controlled an estimated one-third of Syria's oil production. However, US-led airstrikes deliberately targeted oil resources and the Syrian government as well as US-backed Syrian Kurdish fighters have retaken most oil wells. Other means of income include taxes, ransom, selling looted antiquities and extortion.

  • French police at the Stade de France following deadly attacks across Paris

    What is the 'Islamic State'?

    Where does it carry out attacks?

    IS has claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks across the globe. The militant group has targeted capitals across the EU, including Berlin, Brussels and Paris. IS leaders have encouraged so-called "lone wolf" attacks, whereby individuals who support IS carry out terrorist acts without the direct involvement of the group.

  • The face of a statues lies on the ground

    What is the 'Islamic State'?

    What other tactics does it use?

    The group uses various tactics to expand its power. IS fighters have looted and destroyed historical artifacts in Syria and Iraq in an attempt at "cultural cleansing." The group has also enslaved thousands of women from religious minority groups, including Yazidis. IS also uses a sophisticated social network to distribute propaganda and recruit sympathizers.

  • An Iraqi refugee who fled Mosul

    What is the 'Islamic State'?

    How has it impacted the region?

    IS has further exacerbated the ongoing Syrian conflict. Millions of Syrians and Iraqis have fled their homes, many traveling to Europe in pursuit of refuge. Although it has lost all of its strongholds, the militant group has left extraordinary destruction in its wake. Areas affected by the militant group's rule will likely take years to rebuild.

    Author: Rachel Stewart


Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

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WWW links

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The orphans of Mosul  

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