Iraq PM Al-Sudani Seen as Frontrunner in Upcoming Parliamentary Election
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, who has been in power since 2022, is expected to secure a second term in the November 11th election. He campaigns on improving public services and balancing ties with both Washington and Tehran.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani is positioning himself as the leading candidate for the upcoming parliamentary election scheduled for November 11th.
With rising public support, Al-Sudani is campaigning on his ability to improve basic services and maintain a delicate balance between Washington and Tehran.
He expects to secure the single-largest share of seats in the 329-member legislature.
Many analysts concur that he is indeed the frontrunner in this election.Al-Sudani, who has held numerous key positions within Iraq's volatile political system since 2022, is the only post-2003 premier who never left the country.
This experience gives him a unique understanding of Iraqi politics and society.
He faces the challenge of balancing Iraq's role as an ally to both the US and Iran while addressing the pressing needs of the Iraqi people for jobs and services.A scandal erupted in 2024 when allegations surfaced that staff within the prime minister's office had been spying on senior officials.
Al-Sudani's political adviser quickly denied these claims, adding to the ongoing political tension before the elections.Born in Baghdad in March 1970, Al-Sudani worked as an agricultural supervisor under Saddam Hussein's government despite his family members being killed for their political activism.
Throughout his career, he has served as a mayor, member of a provincial council, regional governor, and twice as a Cabinet minister, ultimately becoming prime minister.
He emphasizes that his prolonged presence in Iraq gives him a unique insight into the country's complexities.Iraq currently faces the challenge of disarming its militias under pressure from the US while negotiating an agreement for the phased withdrawal of American troops.
Al-Sudani stresses that any successful disarmament efforts would be contingent upon the absence of a US-led coalition, which some Iraqi factions view as an occupying force.
This ongoing political and social landscape sets the stage for what is expected to be a contentious election.