January 30th, 2009 by Cecile

With all eyes focused on tomorrow’s provincial elections, here are a few solid reports analyzing how this will affect the future of democracy in Iraq…

Greg Bruno at CFR provides a good background on the political landscape leading up to the elections. He outlines the major parties involved and explains that over 15 million Iraqis have registered to vote out of an estimated 17.2 million eligible voters. Additionally, 14,400 candidates have been cleared to run for 440 seats, with 4000 of these candidates being women.

The International Crisis Group offers an extensive analysis of the stakes involved, expressing cautious optimism over progress made in the last few years. After highlighting some of the shortcomings these elections will surely face, ICG reminds us that “even an imperfect outcome is bound to begin to redress some of the most severe problems associated with the 2005 elections.”

Meanwhile, Matthew Duss and Peter Juul at the Center for American Progress are less optimistic as they focus our attention to the fractured Shia of Iraq. They outline the “religious and political legacy of persecution of the Shia of Iraq” and examine the internal power struggle that has taken place after the U.S. invasion. They argue that “the success of U.S. policymaking in Iraq will hinge on understanding these Shia dynamics.”

Posted in Elections, Iraq |