Events

Conflict and Fragility

Iraq beyond its 2018 elections: what might be next?
20 Jun 2018 15:00 - 18:30
Source: Hossein Mersadi/Wikipedia
Introduction

This workshop was organised by the East West Institute (EWI) in cooperation with the Clingendael Institute

During this workshop participants took stock of the significance of the 2018 Iraqi elections beyond the headlines. It sought to accomplish this aim by analysing the elections through the prism of the regional geopolitical competition to which Iraq is exposed, through the prism of deeper conflict issues and drivers behind the elections, and through the prism of the entrenched security roles and interests of the Peshmerga and Al-Hashd al-Sha’bi respectively.

The organisers hoped that a discussion along these lines have helped maintain a realistic policy perspective on the possible directions and regional implications of Iraq’s domestic politics.

Programme

15:00 – 15:10  
Kawa Hassan/East West Institute: Brief scene setter to frame the Iraqi elections

15:10 – 15:30  
Hosham Dawood/Anthropologist at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (Paris): Zooming out: Iraq in the regional context and what do the election results really tell us?

15:30 – 15:50  Discussion

15:50 – 16:10  
Kamal Chomani/Non-resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy: Deeper conflict issues and drivers, and case study 'The politics of Iraqi Kurdistan'

16:10 – 16:30  Discussion

16:30 – 16:50  
Feike Fliervoet & Erwin van Veen/Visiting fellow and senior research fellow at The Clingendael Institute: The role of the Peshmerga in Kurdish politics and the role of the Al-Hashd al-Sha’bi in Iraqi politics

16:50 – 17:30  Discussion and closure, followed by networking drinks

The discussion took place under Chatham House Rule.