Governance in Iraq: Pathways to Prosperity from Baghdad to Erbil

On October 10^th 2021 Iraq held its fifth parliamentary election since 2003. The vote took place in the midst of a number of crises and ongoing attempts in Baghdad and Erbil to address the country’s socio-economic crisis, which has been compounded by the decline in oil prices, the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical rivalries, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of U.S. troops in Iraq. This dossier, jointly published by ISPI and the Iraq Policy Group, examines Iraq’s political and economic dynamics — together with its foreign relations — to provide forward-looking analysis and policy recommendations that elucidate the country’s prospects of achieving stability and good governance and the role international actors can play to stabilise the country.