On 12 May, Iraq witnessed its first parliamentary elections since the demise of IS in the country. Despite the historic momentum, the vote has been shaped by low turnout and a grassroots campaign to boycott the elections. This reflects the Iraqis’ disillusionment with the political parties and alliances that have dominated the scene over the last decade. While the results have contradicted most polling data and analysts’ predictions, prospects for change in internal politics are still not in sight. As negotiations develop towards the formation of the new government, the regional implication of the elections will also become more apparent.
Following a multidisciplinary approach, this informal brainstorming session will attempt to shed some light on the implication of these elections for the future of Iraq and the region, in particular by looking at the possible governmental coalitions as well as the opportunity for regional and international influence in shaping the new Iraqi cabinet.
The MEDirections roundtable will take place on Wednesday 23 May (16.30-18.00), Sala Belvedere, Villa Schifanoia, Via Giovanni Boccaccio, 121, 50133 Firenze FI, Italy.
Organisers:
Georges Fahmi – MEDirections
Nedra Cherif – EUI (Department of Political and Social Sciences)
Speaker
Tine Gade – Max Weber Fellow