Key Takeaways: POLITICS: Iraq Marks End of UN Mission; Top Court Ratifies Election Results; Basra Locals Initiate Autonomy Bid – On December 13, UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Baghdad to mark the approaching conclusion of the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI). Last year, the UN Security Council unanimously voted to end UNAMI’s mission […]
Year: 2025
New Report Identifies Glaring Gap in Iraq’s Wastewater Management
Iraq faces a profound and growing shortage of clean water. Climate change, upstream damming, and rising demand are drastically reducing the volume of freshwater in the Tigris and Euphrates river systems—the nation’s hydrological lifelines. This physical scarcity is exacerbated by a largely unseen crisis: the large-scale contamination of these dwindling resources with untreated wastewater. Iraq’s […]
A Vote Against All: How Spoiled Ballots Became a Political Voice in Iraqi Kurdistan
By Winthrop Rodgers When Iraqi voters went to the polls on November 11 to elect a new parliament, some voters made a pragmatic calculation to support a party that could offer them patronage or employment. Others turned to political ideology, ethno-sectarian identity, or tribal affiliation to guide their choice. Despite better-than-expected turnout, millions stayed at […]
ISHM: December 4 – 11, 2025
Key Takeaways: POLITICS: Six Election Winners Stripped of Their Seats; Judiciary Denies Issuing Directive Restricting Free Speech – On December 7, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) said it disqualified six candidates who had won seats in the November elections. The six include former Ninewa governor Najm al-Jubouri, who was stripped of his seat by […]
ISHM: November 20 – December 4, 2025
Key Takeaways: POLITICS: Dawa Nominates Maliki; Sunni Parties Form New Council; U.S. Opens Erbil Consulate; Iraq Retracts Hezbollah Designation – On November 21, the Islamic Dawa Party nominated its secretary general, former prime minister Nouri al-Maliki, for the premiership. Maliki’s State of Law coalition won 29 seats and is a key faction within the Coordination […]
Your Impact Across Iraq and Around the World in 2025
As we enter this season of reflection and giving, we are reminded of the unique community—individuals like you—that makes our work possible. From policy professionals and Iraqi Americans to veterans and humanitarians, you are the reason EPIC can stand for peace, government accountability, and climate action in Iraq. The challenges we collectively face are stark. […]
Confronting Iraq’s Water Crisis: Awareness, Action, and the Fight for Every River
A severe water crisis is affecting Iraq. The country faces two interconnected challenges: the decline of its rivers and the growing pollution of the water that remains. EPIC’s response to this complex challenge is twofold: supporting public awareness to strengthen environmental stewardship and supporting practical, locally driven solutions. That is why EPIC is proud to […]
Iraq’s 2025 Election: Stability at the Cost of Reform?
by Erik K. Gustafson Iraq’s November 2025 parliamentary election, the sixth since 2005, took place in a country enjoying hard-won stability despite regional unrest. The voting process was peaceful, and in the final results published earlier this week, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) confirmed a significant jump in voter turnout nationwide. The election was […]
ISHM: November 13 – 20, 2025
Key Takeaways: POLITICS: IHEC Releases Final Election Results; Top Court Limits Government Powers to Caretaker Role – On November 17, Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) released the final results of the November 11 parliamentary election. The results made slight adjustments to earlier projections and confirmed the gains of Prime Minister Sudani’s electoral coalition, which […]
ISHM: November 6 – 13, 2025
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 […]