Iraq’s Election Ratification Masks Brewing Power Struggle Undermining Stability

On June 23, Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court officially ratified the results of last month’s parliamentary elections, validating that caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s coalition secured the largest number of seats. Yet this procedural triumph conceals a deeper crisis: no political faction commands enough power to form a stable government, leaving Iraq teetering on the edge of renewed instability that could reverberate far beyond its borders. Why Does Iraq’s Fragile Democracy Keep Failing Its People? The court confirmed the vote adhered to constitutional requirements and dismissed complaints, presenting an image of democratic legitimacy. However, in practice, al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development...