Iraqis cast their votes on Tuesday in a pivotal parliamentary election, with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani striving for a second term. However, a youthful electorate views the election as a mechanism for entrenched parties to allocate the nation's oil wealth among themselves.

Despite Sudani's bloc being predicted to secure the most seats, a majority seems out of reach, likely sparking prolonged negotiations among Shi'ite, Sunni, and Kurdish parties over government roles and the selection of a prime minister. Analysts anticipate voter turnout will decline further from the previous low of 41% in 2021, especially due to widespread disillusionment and a boycott by influential Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

With concerns over political apathy, the election includes young hopefuls ea

See Full Page