Letter from Mideast: High stakes, high hopes -- Iraqis on edge before pivotal election

Many Iraqis now believe that only by pursuing an independent path, free from foreign influence, can their nation truly recover and grow.

by Xinhua writer Duan Minfu

BAGHDAD, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- A cool autumn breeze is sweeping through Baghdad, but the political air is thick and tense.

On streets lined with laminated portraits of candidates, and in roadside cafes fragrant with tea and shisha, residents gather to debate the parliamentary elections scheduled for Nov. 11.

This will be Iraq's sixth national legislative election since the 2005 constitution was adopted, and it arrives as a crucial test of the country's fragile stability.

In a televised address to the nation on Friday, just before the campaign silence period began, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani urged Iraqis to take part in the vote. He called it the most important election since 2003, saying it would "determine the future of Iraq for the next 20 years."

"You are the decision-makers," he told Iraqis. "We call on all of you to exercise your right freely, consciously and responsibly."

Many Iraqis say they are generally satisfied with the progress of recent years. When I hailed an Uber in Baghdad, the driver, Yasser Ali, told me that the capital feels safer and more open than it has in a long time.

"Roads and bridges have been repaired, some blast walls are coming down, and parts of the Green Zone are now open," he said. "We even hosted the Arab League summit this year. Iraq is moving in a positive direction. I'm proud of that."

Yet, like many of his compatriots, Ali remains uneasy about the coming vote.

The last election, in 2021, descended into months of political paralysis and violent protests that left hundreds dead or wounded. In October, Safaa al-Mashhadani, a sitting member of the Baghdad Provincial Council and parliamentary candidate, was killed in a car bombing. His death, along with several other attacks on political figures in recent months, has cast a shadow of unease over the country.

Under Iraq's power-sharing system, the prime minister must be a Shiite, the parliamentary speaker a Sunni, and the president a Kurd. Preliminary results are expected within days, but coalition bargaining could stretch for months, which is a familiar ritual among the country's most powerful factions.

This year, the government has tightened security. Military checkpoints stand at Baghdad's major intersections, and armed patrols sweep through markets and commercial districts. The Interior Ministry says that more than 185,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide to protect polling centers, including about 10,000 in the capital alone.

"After years of war and turmoil, people long for stability more than anything," said Shafiq Firas, an electrical engineer, glancing at a campaign banner fluttering above the street. "We just hope bloodshed and conflict will not be the story of this election."

For most Iraqis I've spoken with in recent months, the priorities are clear -- reconstruction, development and sovereignty. Across the country, candidates have seized on those themes, invoking "development" and "revival" as rallying cries.

Many Iraqis now believe that only by pursuing an independent path, free from foreign influence, can their nation truly recover and grow. That belief has only strengthened amid recent regional turmoil. During the June flare-up between Iran and Israel, Iraqi airspace turned into a route for cross-border strikes, stirring widespread anger over the breach of national sovereignty.

"The war tore apart our sovereignty and dignity," said Khalid Saif, a retired army officer. "I hope this election helps Iraq move away from foreign meddling and back toward self-reliance."

Moreover, Iraq continues to struggle with chronic power outages, a weakened health system, and underfunded schools. Political infighting has eroded public trust in government, and voter turnout has steadily fallen. Only 41 percent of eligible Iraqis cast ballots in 2021, the lowest level on record.

But the country's younger generation is determined to make this election count. Samira Hassan, a University of Baghdad student, spends her evenings helping residents in poor neighborhoods register to vote. "Change won't come overnight," she said, "but it has to start somewhere."

Her optimism reflects a quiet determination that still runs through the capital. Before the election silence period was enforced on Saturday, along Abu Nawas Street, campaign trucks played patriotic songs while people waved flags from car windows. Residents paused before posters, studying faces and slogans. Some shook their heads, while others wondered whether this time might be different.

Analysts say voter turnout will be the clearest measure of Iraq's political health and of whether people still believe voting can bring change. A low turnout would signal deepening apathy, while a higher one could give reform-minded independents a rare foothold in parliament.

As election day approaches, Baghdad's mood shifts between anxiety and hope. The scars of the past remain visible, yet the act of voting, imperfect and uncertain as it may be, continues to hold meaning.

"Voting is how we speak," said Firas, watching banners ripple in the evening breeze. "We have lived through wars and occupations. Stability, independence, and development are what Iraq needs most. Maybe this time, we will get a little closer."■