Anbar Officials Face Skepticism Over Pre-Election Visits
As Iraq readies for its Nov. 2025 elections, Anbar officials face backlash for campaign-style visits seen as deceptive. Amid security concerns and voter disillusionment, locals criticize broken promises, free speech curbs, and fear vote-buying tactics.
By Kamaran Aziz
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – As Iraq prepares for its parliamentary elections scheduled for Nov. 11, 2025, current parliamentarians and political officials in Anbar province have begun visiting public places under the guise of listening to the people's demands and improving their conditions.
These elections, which will determine the 329 members of Iraq's Council of Representatives, come amid a period of political realignment and fragile stability in the country, with nearly 8,000 candidates registered to compete.
However, in Anbar—a Sunni-majority province with a history of conflict, including recent ISIS activity and U.S. airstrikes targeting militant leaders—these visits are viewed by some as election campaigning intended to deceive the public.
Anbar, which has faced significant challenges such as displacement and security concerns, is set to see around 1.2 million eligible voters participate in the polls, though reports indicate growing calls for boycotts among displaced communities who feel neglected by the government.
Critics have also highlighted issues like restrictions on free speech in the province, with activists reporting arrests and transfers of civil servants for expressing political opinions online as elections approach.
An Anbar resident told Kurdistan24: "We hope the promises are real, not just ink on paper. We want parliamentarians to make genuine promises to implement projects and serve the citizens, but when they get to parliament, they turn off their mobile phones. We have past experience with them; when the election is over, they turn off their phones, and we don't see them again for another four years."
Omar Jumaili, a political observer, said: "Without a doubt, representatives of the failed parties are trying to exploit the people's situation and buy their consciences by any means possible. This is a crime under the law. We call on the election commission and security authorities to hold the corrupt accountable—those who want to buy the will of the people."
In response, the citizens are seeing the difference between genuine action and mere campaigning more clearly day by day. They add that what the officials are doing is a social media stunt for the sake of campaigning.
This sentiment echoes broader concerns in Anbar, where preparations for the elections include heightened security measures to prevent violence, amid ongoing efforts to stabilize the region.
