Challenges in Iraq mount a year after anti-gov’t protests erupted

In October 2019, unprecedented protests demanded the fall of Iraq’s ruling class. One year on, with a new government in place and nearly 600 protesters killed, little to nothing has changed.
The nationwide, leader-less demonstrations which broke out on October 1, 2019, spiralled into a decentralised movement slamming unemployment, poor public services, endemic corruption and a political class more loyal to Iran or the US than to Iraqi citizens.
A month later, the protests forced the resignation of then-Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, who was succeeded by Mustafa al-Kadhimi, with the latter pledging to integrate protesters’ demands into his transitional government’s plans.
But on the ground, little has been achieved.
Al-Kadhimi has set an early parliamentary vote for June 6, 2021, nearly a year ahead of schedule.
“Protesters wanted early elections and a new electoral law. We’re doing that,” Abdelhussein Hindawi, al-Kadhimi’s adviser on elections, told AFP news agency.