Iraqis vote in high-stakes parliamentary election

AWANI

Iraqis head to the polls to elect a new parliament amid fears of low turnout, deep political rivalries, and growing pressure on Baghdad to balance ties between Iran and the U.S..

Transcript

00:00Iraqis head to the polls on Tuesday for parliamentary elections,

00:05the sixth since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

00:10More than 7,700 candidates are vying for 329 seats,

00:16with women making up nearly one-third of the field.

00:20Over 21 million Iraqis are eligible to vote,

00:24though officials fear turnout could fall below the record-level 41% seen in the 2021 elections.

00:31Shiite factions, which have dominated Iraqi politics since 2003, are expected to retain control.

00:39The Coordination Framework, a coalition of Iran-aligned groups

00:43that helped bring Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani to power,

00:46is likely to reunite after the election.

00:50Once results are certified by the Supreme Court,

00:53Parliament must elect a Sunni speaker, a Kurdish president,

00:57and finally a Shiite prime minister, nominated by the largest bloc.

01:02The next government will face the challenge of balancing Iraq's ties with both Tehran and Washington.

01:08While Iran continues to exert influence in Baghdad,

01:12its regional power has weakened following Israeli strikes on its proxy groups.

01:18Tehran's key goals remain maintaining its influence,

01:21countering U.S. interests and preserving economic access to Iraq.

01:26Meanwhile, Washington is pressing Baghdad to curb Iran-backed militias

01:30and tighten restrictions on Tehran's financial networks,

01:33a policy expected to continue after the vote.

01:36The next one is on Tehran's financial alphabet.

01:41The next one is a

01:58of the удивициans of the Middle Eastern Conference.

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