On 10 October, Iraqis will go to the polls for the sixth time since the fall of the Ba’athist regime. This election was brought forward as a direct result of a wave of popular protest against the status quo, and yet there are indications that many protesters and disillusioned Iraqis across the country do not see the point of voting. To them, elections do not deepen democracy but reinforce the same ruling elite and status quo that governs without accountability. Attempts to increase voter turnout and maintain the political system have come from international actors, Iraqi leaders, and Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani.
In this webinar, part of the Chatham House Iraq Initiative, an expert panel will reflect on the events of election day, the results of the national vote and what it all means for the government formation process and prospects for real change and bridging the widening gap between the people and the elite.
This event will be held on the record and will be livestreamed on the MENA Programme’s Facebook page.
Participants
Moderator: Renad Mansour, Senior Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme; Director, Iraq Initiative, Chatham House
Hanaa Edwar, Activist; Founder and General Secretary, Iraqi Al-Amal Association
Harith Hasan, Non-resident Senior Fellow, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
Viola Von Cramon-Taubadel, Chief Observer, EU Electoral Observation Mission
