Anger Boils Over as Military Pensioners Storm Baghdad in Protest Over Unmet Demands
Their anger mirrors a broader wave of discontent sweeping through Iraq, with citizens from various sectors protesting the government’s failure to deliver on essential services and employment opportunities.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Frustration is reaching a boiling point in Iraq as military pensioners from across the country gather in Baghdad, demanding long-overdue financial rights and the long-promised amendment of the pension law.
Their anger mirrors a broader wave of discontent sweeping through Iraq, with citizens from various sectors protesting the government’s failure to deliver on essential services and employment opportunities.
Chanting against government neglect, the pensioners insist on the implementation of key provisions in the pension law, particularly Article 69 of Law 9, which mandates salary increases in line with inflation and market conditions. Many retirees, particularly those who left service in 2003, after 2003, and after 2019, argue that the current pension structure is unfair, creating significant income disparities between old and new pensioners.
“How can 400,000 dinars be enough when we have chronic illnesses? We’ve been struggling with this for 20 years, and the government still hasn’t found a solution,” one protester told Kurdistan24. Another demonstrator lamented, “We have families, we have students to support, and we spend 200,000 dinars monthly just on medicine. How does the government expect us to survive?”
This demonstration adds to the growing unrest in Iraq. Recently, in Najaf, hundreds of unemployed medical graduates staged protests, demanding job placements in the 2025 budget. Despite Iraq’s dire need for medical professionals, the government has failed to integrate these graduates into the workforce, fueling further public frustration.
Read More: Najaf Medical Graduates Demand Government Employment in 2025 Budget Protests
With economic instability, rising inflation, and ongoing financial hardships, Iraq’s leadership faces mounting pressure to address the grievances of its citizens. As protests intensify, the government’s failure to act risks pushing the country into deeper unrest, with public patience wearing dangerously thin.