Six months on from elections, Iraqis frustrated by political deadlock

Six months on from elections that failed to deliver a new president or prime minister, Iraq remains in a state of complete political deadlock. A dispute between the two largest political blocs has led to a boycott of parliament, meaning quorum cannot be reached. Ordinary Iraqis are feeling the economic consequences of this standoff. FRANCE 24's Lucile Wasserman reports.

Long delays are typical when forming a government in Iraq – with power-sharing talks between political blocs typically lasting around five and a half months. But six months on from Iraq's last parliamentary elections, those discussions are simply not happening.

The biggest winner at the polls, Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, refuses to include his top rivals, an alliance of pro-Iran parties, in any forthcoming government.

Ordinary citizens are suffering from the fallout from this standstill. Construction manager Muhannad al-Asadi usually has 10 projects on the go on the outskirts of Baghdad, but the political situation has brought most of his work to a halt.

"Most of the funds for infrastructure projects for roads, sewage, electricity, etc. are all funded by the federal budget," al-Asadi said. "Since the government hasn’t been formed, the budget hasn’t been submitted, let alone approved."

https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20220419-six-months-on-from-elections-iraqis-frustrated-by-political-deadlock