The 2018 Iraqi federal elections: a population in transition?

On 12 May 2018, Iraqis went to the polls to vote for their next parliament, prime minister and cabinet. The elections delivered a surprise, with Muqtada al-Sadr’s Saairun Coalition winning the most seats of any bloc, although not enough to form a government alone. The results also carried a number of clear messages about the state of Iraqi politics, not least the low turnout and the decision of many Iraqis to boycott the elections, reflecting a general malaise and disillusion with the current political leadership and bloated bureaucracy. The revelations of electoral fraud and the very low turnout (of 44.5 percent) indicate that it will be difficult for the political class to overcome its reputation for maintaining the status quo – and for the citizenry to accept it. This report is the second in a series of three produced by the Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS) as the outcome of a project examining the mobilisation strategies and results of the 2018 Iraqi elections. This project forms part of the Conflict Research Programme, funded by the UK Department for International Development