This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
Protests in Iraq have reached a critical juncture, with demonstrators entering their second month of demanding a complete overhaul of the political system. The movement, which began on October 1, has evolved from rage over corruption and unemployment to a broader call for a new government.
On Thursday, the country's top Shiite religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, warned against the influence of paramilitary forces, including the Hashed al-Shaabi, which descended into the streets of the capital in a show of force. Sistani's comments came a day after Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called on those who care about Iraq and Lebanon to prioritize security.
More than 250 people have died and 10,000 have been wounded in the past month as protests evolved into calls for the 'downfall of the regime'. The movement is unique in Iraqi history, with demonstrators condemning the political and religious class wholesale.
'No one represents the people, not Iran, not the parties, not the clerics. We want to take back our country,' said Ali Ghazi, 55, protesting in Baghdad on Thursday. 'You're all thieves. From 2003 until now, what have you done?' he added, referring to the year a US-led invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.
President Barham Saleh has vowed to hold early elections once a new voting law and electoral commission has been agreed. However, the government's proposals have been met with skepticism, with demonstrators unfazed by promises of hiring drives and increased social welfare plans.
