By Payraw Anwar
Iraq has completed its sixth round of general elections, a crucial moment in the country’s fragile democratic journey. Voters headed to the polls on 9 and 11 November 2025 to elect 329 members of parliament—320 general seats and 9 reserved for minority communities. According to the Independent High Electoral Commission, turnout reached 55%, meaning more than 12 million Iraqis cast their ballots in both public and special voting. With 7,740 candidates competing for 329 seats, the electoral contest was as crowded as it was consequential. The value of each seat varied from one province to another, reflecting Iraq’s complex demographic and political landscape.
Why Do Elections Matter for Iraq?
As a post-conflict society, Iraq depends on elections more than most countries. Still navigating a prolonged transitional period, the state continues to struggle with political instability, contested governance, weak security, and the absence of broad consensus over how the country should be run.
In such a context, elections serve as a lifeline. They renew political legitimacy, refresh governing structures, and provide the institutional oxygen needed to keep the system functioning. Free and fair elections offer the only credible mechanism for linking citizens to the political elite; the stronger the legitimacy, the greater the public trust and governmental effectiveness. In essence, elections are not just a procedural requirement—they are the cornerstone of Iraq’s social contract and the gateway to political renewal.
Who Will Form the New Cabinet?
One of the persistent dilemmas in Iraq’s political system—and one rooted in the ambiguity of the permanent constitution—is the absence of a clear definition of who is considered the “winner” of an election. Should the right to form the government go to the party or list with the highest number of seats? Or does it belong to a coalition formed after the election?
This unresolved question has repeatedly complicated government formation. A notable example occurred in the 2010 elections, when Ayad Allawi’s bloc won 91 seats, the highest number, yet was unable to form a government. Instead, Shiite parties forged a post-election coalition, gaining the majority needed to govern. Such interpretations undermine the political process and dilute the meaning of voters’ choices, casting doubt on the integrity of democratic outcomes.
Iraq remains a multi-cultural and deeply fragmented society, where voting patterns still follow ethno-religious and sectarian lines. There is no nationwide, cross-sectarian political party capable of unifying the electorate. Nevertheless, the 2025 results show notable developments: the Reconstruction and Development List secured over one million votes, and the KDP also surpassed the one-million mark in the Kurdistan Region and disputed territories, placing second nationwide.
Given this reality, the formation of the next government will once again require a power-sharing arrangement that reflects Iraq’s pluralism. Partnership, balance, and inclusion must go beyond political rhetoric and be genuinely implemented if consociational democracy is to function effectively within the federal Iraqi state.