PNN – As we approach the Iraqi parliamentary elections, foreign actors, including the United States, are trying to influence the political process in the country.
According to the report of Pakistan News Network, citing Al Jazeera, the Iraqi parliamentary elections will be held on November 11th with more than 7,768 candidates competing for 329 seats in the House of Representatives, of which 9 seats belong to representatives of religious and ethnic minorities (Christians, Yazidis, Shabaks, Mandaeans, and Fili Kurds).
The Iraqi elections are not, contrary to what it may seem at first glance, a purely domestic issue, as some regional and international governments are seeking to influence the political framework resulting from these elections. What are the powers that are seeking to influence the Iraqi political arena?
Read more:
First; America
The US embassy is directly interfering in the Iraqi parliamentary election process by holding secret meetings and funding certain groups. The US is using a range of tools to pressure the Iraqi government and political arena:
- Money and dollars, which Washington can use to disrupt the Iraqi market and the people’s economy by organizing currency auctions and remittances.
- Providing security assistance and training conditional on reforms and disarmament of the Iraqi resistance.
- Selective diplomacy and support for specific personalities and programs.
Second; Türkiye
Türkiye has taken clear steps to interfere in the Iraqi elections and openly supports the Turkmen Front and some Sunni forces and parties.
Ankara is seeking to strengthen its influence in northern Iraq and is exploiting the tension with the Kurds to its advantage. This intervention is not just within the framework of electoral interference; it is also an attempt to redraw the map of energy and security control in the region.
Border security and the pursuit of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the case related to the water resources of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and economic betting on the development path and land connection to the Mediterranean are among Turkey’s goals in influencing the political process in Iraq.
Third: Arab countries bordering the Persian Gulf.
According to Al Jazeera, the Arab Gulf countries have adopted positive approaches in their relations with Iraq, which are consistent with electricity transmission projects and joint investments, and the regional openness. This will be followed by smart investments in infrastructure, ports, free zones, and renewable energy so that Arab countries can also benefit from the opportunities provided by Iraq’s diverse economy. These countries are seeking to gain privileges, including in the field of using energy and financial instruments in gas and petrochemical projects, and are trying to activate and strengthen these opportunities with diplomatic support.
These countries do not have any specific parties to support in the Iraqi elections, but they measure the results by some factors, including the improvement of the public atmosphere in Iraq and the country’s relations with its neighbors.
Although Qatar is trying to hide its covert role in influencing the Iraqi elections, it cannot completely cover up the footprint of its petrodollars on the electoral process. The country supports Sunni forces and parties.