Iraqis have been protesting their political system since October, decrying the government for corruption, poor public service provision, and lack of job opportunities. Demonstrations have surged following the assassination of Iran’s military official, General Suleimani, as they fear that attention will be diverted from meeting the demands they have been protesting for. In November 2019, Mr. Adel Abdul Mahdi stepped down as prime minister in the wake of the protests, but he remains in office in a caretaker capacity as there has been a failure to come to an agreement on a new prime minister.
On January 13, 2020, demonstrators gave the government a week’s deadline to respond to key demands, but the government’s failure to do so has caused further outrage from Iranians. Since the protests first erupted, at least 470 protesters have been killed and 20,000 injured. The security forces have been accused of using excessive force to crack down on demonstrators. Despite the risks associated with protesting, people are calling for an independent prime minister and snap elections and refusing to step down until change is implemented.
