French agency: The elections do not interest Iraqis, and the regime is almost bankrupt

[size=52]French agency: The elections do not interest Iraqis, and the regime is almost bankrupt[/size]

[size=45]The French Press Agency said that the early elections do not arouse much interest and enthusiasm among the 25 million Iraqi voters, and while observers expect a low turnout, a researcher confirmed that the political system in Iraq is almost bankrupt, economically and ideologically.[/size]
[size=45]The agency attributed this situation to a series of challenges facing Iraqis, most notably the difficult economic crisis, the growing influence of armed factions, and the chronic corruption that controls the joints of the state.[/size]
[size=45]The agency stated that the country has suffered for decades from wars and violence, with 40% of the youth unemployed, and poverty exacerbated by the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, despite its oil wealth.[/size]
[size=45]The elections were supposed to take place at their normal date in 2022, but holding them was one of the most prominent promises of Mustafa Al-Kazemi's government, which came to power in the fall of 2019 demonstrations when tens of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets demanding the overthrow of the regime. Despite the many promises made to the protesters, nothing has changed, according to the agency. "The political system is almost bankrupt, economically and ideologically," said Renad Mansour, a researcher at Chatham House. "This system is unable to provide jobs and public services, and is unable to convince Iraqis that it is in favor of reform and fighting corruption," he says.[/size]
[size=45]Despite Iraq's oil wealth, a third of its 40 million people are poor, according to the United Nations, in conjunction with the aggravation of the economic crisis due to the drop in oil prices and the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic.[/size]
[size=45]The head of the Iraqi Political Thinking Center Ihsan Al-Shammari believes that "at a time when Iraqis are heading to elections, the country is still mired in corruption in all of its institutions, which contributes significantly to weakening confidence in the state."[/size]
[size=45]What is the biggest challenge?[/size]
[size=45]And the French Press Agency says that "the biggest challenge after the elections is to nominate a prime minister in a process that will be subject to complex negotiations, and it is difficult to determine who the potential candidates for this position are, and in the absence of a clear majority in Parliament, where the various political blocs must agree among themselves."[/size]
[size=45]And the agency continued, "Amidst this context of public frustration, several parties and activists who participated in the October 2019 protests announced a boycott of the elections, especially because of the assassinations of activists and uncontrolled weapons."[/size]
[size=45]The agency continued, "These currents accused the armed factions loyal to Iran of suppressing the uprising, which left nearly 600 dead and 30,000 wounded, while prominent figures in the protest movement were subjected to assassination, attempted assassination or kidnapping, and the United Nations and activists condemned the role of "armed groups" in these operations." .[/size]
[size=45]Al-Shammari explains that “weapons represent a great challenge,” while those who hold them consider themselves “above the law,” adding that these “participate in the elections” through currents that “are political fronts” for other parties. The majority of the political blocs participating in the elections are closely linked to armed factions, according to the French agency. Political analyst Fadel Abu Ragheef warns of “the dangers of an internal security slippage after the results are announced,” especially as some “political entities have recently exaggerated their size,” referring to the speeches of some parties that see themselves as being at the forefront. He added, "The results may be shocking, and this is not in line with the aspirations of these "currents" and may push them to oppose the results to the point of conflict.[/size]
[size=45]Regional challenges threaten a resurgence of violence[/size]
[size=45]The agency also refers to the regional challenges surrounding Iraq, which threaten to push it towards violence again, in the event of any tension between its allies Iran and the United States, similar to what happened after the assassination of the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Authority, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and the commander of the Quds Force, Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad at the beginning of the year. 2020 in an American air strike. Washington announced that the "combat mission" of its soldiers stationed in Iraq within the framework of the international coalition to combat terrorism will end by the end of the year.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Shammari does not rule out “that there will be an escalation by the armed factions if they do not obtain sufficient space in the executive authority.” He added, "Iran may, in return, go ahead with a political map that achieves balance in influence and consensus with opposites inside Iraq between Washington and Tehran in exchange for the nuclear agreement."[/size]
[size=45]Moreover, the terrorist threat is emerging again, four years after the announcement of victory over ISIS. A United Nations report published at the beginning of the year spoke of the possibility of an "escalation of violence," noting that "small attacks on security personnel" gave way to "more complex attacks."[/size]
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