Attachments
Key Takeaways:
- POLITICS: PM Sudani’s Coalition Emerges as Top Seat Winner in Parliamentary Elections – On November 11, more than 12 million Iraqi voters cast their ballots in Iraq’s sixth parliamentary election in 20 years. Data released by Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) pointed to unexpectedly high turnout levels of 56.1%—a notable jump from 43% in 2021. Turnout in Tuesday’s vote was significantly higher in predominantly Kurdish and Sunni provinces than in their Shia-majority counterparts. A compilation of early results released by IHEC on Wednesday shows that Prime Minister Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC) was Tuesday’s biggest winner. The RDC received the most votes in seven provinces, including Baghdad, and secured an estimated 45 seats. It was followed by Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition with an estimated 30 seats. The Taqaddum Party of former speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi outperformed other Sunni parties and secured 27 seats. Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Democratic Party came in first place in Erbil, Ninewa, and Duhok, also winning 27 seats. Commenting on the conduct and results of the elections, UNAMI chief Mohammed al-Hassan said he was “pleased to see this turnout of voters” and praised “the good organization” by IHEC. In his victory speech, Sudani said the next stage for his coalition will focus on “negotiations based on a unifying and responsible national spirit, aiming to shape the new government.” He affirmed that his coalition is “open to [working with] all national forces without exception,” emphasizing the goal of “building solid understandings that respect the constitution and ensure genuine participation of everyone in decision-making.” For a more detailed analysis of the results, read this week’s full report. more…
- SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Violent Tribal Clashes, Attacks on Politicians Leave at Least Five Dead – On November 10, two policemen were killed by gunfire during an early morning election rally in central Kirkuk. Security forces arrested more than a dozen suspects in connection with the incident. The suspects’ uniforms suggest that some may be members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). On November 11, four Iraqi soldiers were wounded when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them in the Tuzkhormatu district of Salah ad-Din. The same day, violent tribal clashes in Basra killed two people and wounded five others, including members of the security forces responding to the gunfire. Also on November 11, one person was killed and two were wounded in tribal clashes in the Makhmour district. The fighting—prompted by disputes over water canal rights—involved the use of heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. On November 13, unidentified gunmen attacked the home of a senior aide to a member of parliament in al-Qurna, north of Basra. In nearby Maysan, gunmen attacked the home of a local politician with a rocket-propelled grenade. Both attacks caused property damage but no casualties. In other developments, on November 13, supporters of losing parliamentary candidates from the Shaikhan district blocked key highways linking Duhok with Erbil and Zakho using burning tires to protest the results. more…
- ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Lukoil Declares Force Majeure at Iraq’s West Qurna-2 Field – On November 10, Russian oil company Lukoil declared force majeure at Iraq’s West Qurna-2 oil field in Basra as it deals with newly imposed U.S. sanctions. According to a senior Iraqi official, Lukoil will be forced to halt production and abandon the project—responsible for nearly 500,000 barrels per day of Iraq’s oil output—if the conditions behind the declaration persist for more than six months. Last week, the Oil Ministry canceled three crude oil cargoes totaling four million barrels that were to be lifted as part of Lukoil’s compensation for operating the field due to the sanctions. Cash and in-kind payments to Lukoil will remain suspended until the company and the ministry identify a new mechanism for continuing development and making payments to entities not covered by sanctions. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Lukoil has furloughed non-local staff working at West Qurna-2, while Iraq’s Basra Oil Company and Maysan Oil Company are stepping in to manage operations on a temporary basis. In other developments, on November 8, Iraq’s Ministry of Transport announced the launch of the “Baghdad Ring Line” project, which aims to remove all existing railway tracks inside the capital and replace them with a modern line encircling the city—from al-Yusufiyah in the south to Taji in the north. more…
For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.