Could Iraq’s election be a turning point for the country?
Iraqis await the outcome of the first polls since the defeat of ISIL in 2017.
The preliminary results are in but it could take weeks before official winners are announced in Iraq‘s parliamentary elections.
That delay has some political leaders claiming fraud and urging the Election Commission to have a recount.
Last Saturday’s vote was the first since Iraqi forces defeated the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in 2017.
But one political headline from the poll is raising eyebrows in the United States and Iran.
The coalition led by controversial Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr is emerging as the frontrunner in many of the country’s provinces.
His victory could complicate Iraq’s relations with Washington and Tehran.
So how will Sadr shape Iraq’s future?
Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom
Guests:
Judit Neurink – author of The War of ISIS: On the Road to the Caliphate
Renad Mansour – fellow at Chatham House for the Middle East and North Africa
Zaid al-Ali – author of The Struggle for Iraq’s Future and former adviser to the UN on Iraq