Iraq's November elections: Top leaders' return sparks intense contest
Speaking to Shafaq News, al-Saabri noted that several prominent political figures are joining candidate lists, pointing to a sharp increase in electoral rivalry. He also warned that the campaign period is likely to witness heavy spending, use of state resources, and a rise in influence and favoritism in the management of the electoral process.
'There will be unprecedented pressure on institutions, and public resources are already being channeled toward early campaigning…This will make fair competition much harder to achieve.'
Several high-profile leaders—some of whom had abstained from running directly in the past two election cycles—are now preparing to stand as candidates, aiming to expand their popular base and position themselves for influence in the next parliament.
Among those entering the race are State of Law Coalition (Dawlat al-Qanoon) leader and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki; Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, representing the Euphrates Movement (al-Furatin); Badr Organization chief Hadi al-Amiri; Taqaddum Party head and former Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi; and National Foundation Alliance (al-Asas al-Watani) leader Mohsen al-Mandalawi.
'The return of top-tier figures reflects a calculated move to shape the next phase of governance,' al-Saabri observed.
In early April, the Iraqi cabinet approved November 11, 2025, as the date for the parliamentary vote. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) also estimated that around 30 million Iraqis will be eligible to cast their ballots.
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