A ballot cast on election day in Najaf, 2010. Photo: Omar Chatriwala, Flickr.
In May 2020, a new government was appointed as a result of protests that had been ongoing since October 2019, spreading across central and southern Iraq. With the interim government under continued pressure by protestors, it is expected federal elections will be held in June 2021.
This project analyses the upcoming federal elections, touching on potential turnout and results, as well as what these will mean for the political order in Iraq. It assesses the new electoral law, aimed at giving political independents a better chance of winning seats in parliament and looks at how this will impact voting and coalition formation, as well as its likelihood to lead to significant participation from prominent figures from Iraq’s protest movements and new political parties.
This project formed part of the Conflict Research Programme, funded by the UK Department for International Development to provide research and policy advice on how the risk and impact of violent conflict might be more effectively reduced through development and governance interventions.
Project Outputs
Research Team
Sajad Jiyad | Principal Investigator
Sajad is an Iraqi political analyst based in Baghdad and a fellow at The Century Foundation. Sajad’s main focus is on public policy and governance in Iraq.