Iraqis are voting in parliamentary elections amid deep public scepticism. Polling opened at 7:00 a.m. (04:00 GMT) with nearly 21 million eligible voters across 4,501 stations and more than 7,750 candidates contesting 329 seats. Observers warn turnout may drop below the 41% low in 2021, reflecting widespread disillusionment with entrenched elites, corruption and limited political renewal. The vote will be closely watched for its implications on Iraq's balance between Iran and the United States.
Iraqis Vote Amid Deep Skepticism — Little Hope for Change as Parliamentary Elections Begin
Iraqis are voting in parliamentary elections amid deep public scepticism. Polling opened at 7:00 a.m. (04:00 GMT) with nearly 21 million eligible voters across 4,501 stations and more than 7,750 candidates contesting 329 seats. Observers warn turnout may drop below the 41% low in 2021, reflecting widespread disillusionment with entrenched elites, corruption and limited political renewal. The vote will be closely watched for its implications on Iraq's balance between Iran and the United States.
03:42 PM, 11/11/2025Politics
Iraqis Vote Amid Deep Skepticism
Polling stations opened across Iraq at 7:00 a.m. (04:00 GMT) for parliamentary elections that many voters say are unlikely to deliver meaningful change to daily life. The vote — the sixth since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein — is being watched closely by regional and global powers, notably Iran and the United States.
According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), nearly 21 million Iraqis are eligible to vote at 4,501 polling stations. More than 7,750 candidates are contesting 329 seats in parliament; almost a third of candidates are women. The law reserves 25% of parliamentary seats for women and allocates nine seats to religious minorities.
Critics say the current electoral system favors larger party lists: only 75 independent candidates are on the ballot. Observers fear turnout may fall below the record low of 41% seen in 2021, a symptom of widespread public disillusionment after years of entrenched political elites, alleged mismanagement and endemic corruption.
Polling will close at 6:00 p.m. (15:00 GMT), and preliminary results are expected within 24 hours.
Political Landscape and Key Figures
By post-invasion convention, the prime minister is a Shia Muslim, the parliament speaker a Sunni, and the largely ceremonial presidency a Kurd. Few fresh political faces have emerged, leaving veteran politicians dominant in the race.
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, elected in 2022 with backing from pro-Iran parties, is widely expected to secure a sizeable parliamentary bloc as he seeks a second term. Other leading figures include former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki and Muslim scholar Ammar al-Hakim. Sunni groups are running separately, with former parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi widely forecast to perform well.
The election is notable for the absence of influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr, who has urged his supporters to boycott what he calls a "flawed election". In 2021, al-Sadr won the largest parliamentary bloc but later withdrew his MPs amid disputes with rival Shia parties.
Regional Influence and Security Context
Voting is taking place in a relatively stable security environment compared with earlier post-invasion years. Iraq remains a focus of geopolitical competition: Tehran seeks to preserve its influence in a close regional partner, while Washington continues to exert significant sway, including by maintaining forces in the country.
Pro-Iran factions in Iraq — designated as terrorist groups by Washington — stopped targeting US forces early last year after domestic and international pressure, but Baghdad remains under US insistence to disarm those militias. US envoy Mark Savaya has recently called for Iraq to be freed from what he described as Iran and its proxies' "malign" interference.
The outcome of this election will shape Iraq's domestic politics and its delicate balancing act between Tehran and Washington, even as many voters express skepticism that the ballot will change everyday governance or public services.