On Monday, December 18, voting in local elections began in Iraq, which is the first such event in the last ten years. The Shia Muslim alliance is playing a big role in these elections, which is likely to strengthen its power, especially in light of the boycott of the social populist Moqtada al-Sadr, his main rival.
The last local elections were held in 2013 and were postponed due to the war with the Islamic State. These elections serve as preparation for parliamentary elections scheduled for 2025.
Sadr's Shiite opponents, who prevented him from forming a government after his victory in 2021 parliamentary elections, are likely to gain control of most local councils, especially in the Shiite southern provinces.
This will strengthen the position of the leading Shiite alliance close to Iran, known as the Coordination Structure. Their power has grown through access to state-owned oil resources that can be used to implement local projects and services.
Voting takes place in 15 of Iraq's 18 provinces, where 285 council members are elected. Their duties include appointing influential provincial governors and overseeing local administration. Elections in the semi-autonomous region of Iraq Kurdistan are planned to be held next year.
