After nearly a decade has passed since the events spring 2003 brought change in Iraq, the political scene is still nebulous, and remains a source of confusion and suspicion among Iraqis. The stated goal for the war on Iraq was to found a democratic state ruled by popular sovereignty that was to be a model to follow in the Middle East. After years of sacrifices, it is painful that the new leaders in the Arab Spring nations point out the necessity of avoiding the Iraqi model.
The change occurred after more than a decade of psychological and economic pressure on the Iraqi people from the wars and economic siege; Iraqis were divided between those who were optimistic about the promised freedom and democracy, and those who were pessimistic about an imposed democracy that did not have well-established roots in the minds of the people or the new leaders.
The wheel of political life began to spin, and gradually crystallized through the constitution, which determines the form of the state, the powers of its different institutions, and the rights and freedoms of its citizens. With each election, hopes rose of solutions for a new era to push Iraq and Iraqis towards growth, development, and the promotion of democracy, but the situation became increasingly complex due to the political conflict that took on a sectarian nature and negatively impacted the lives of the people and their rights and freedoms.
The shape of democracy in Iraq became subservient to the political desires of the ruling parties. Observers of political life and the inner workings of active political parties now find that most parties lack internal democratic practices. In general, there is no transfer of power within parties, and any disagreement about the presidency of the party ends with the dissolution of the party and the formation of new parties. The environment still suffers from the prevailing “I” mentality, and it is natural that this mentality is reflected in the parties’ vision of the broader administration of the state, resisting any true transformation towards the achievement of democracy and guaranteeing constitutional freedoms in a manner consistent with the standards of international law.
Iraqi democracy today stands at a crossroads. The legislative process for laws concerning constitutional freedoms has become a nightmare for advocates of freedom such as social activists and rights and humanitarian organizations. This process presents a challenge to the representatives of the people in the extent to which they uphold the constitution. Freedom of expression, which represents one of the pillars of democracy, is on the verge of being considered a crime, rather than a constitutional right, a crime to be treated with the same level of seriousness as crimes of terrorism.
The seed of democracy in Iraq, represented by a constitution that provides for a multi-party system and peaceful transfer of power, is attempting to grow despite the circumstances that have stormed the region as a whole, specifically the political process in Iraq. Iraq today exists in a state of conflict that negatively affects the performance of its institutions, the progress of rebuilding efforts, and moreover, impedes the process of development in the country. But the voice of the people remains the basis of government: the ballot boxes that participated in the rise of parties to power in 2005 are the same ballot boxes that ousted half of those parties from power in 2010. This reflects the development in public awareness as well as the growing influence of civil society organizations in Iraq, which forced the disputing sides to come to an agreement and solve the crisis of forming a government.
Any process of political reform in Iraq must be based on strengthening democratic institutions and on ensuring the independence of the judiciary. The development that took place in the elected assemblies in general, particularly within the Council of Representatives, contributes to setting limits for extreme centralization. To a great extent, this development encourages the protection and acceptance of the other and the expansion of the scope of powers that allow the result of the people’s vote to impact the decision making process.
Nahla Alaulddin Arif is a civic rights activist and the vice president of Iraq’s Association of Women Entrepreneurs.
The change occurred after more than a decade of psychological and economic pressure on the Iraqi people from the wars and economic siege; Iraqis were divided between those who were optimistic about the promised freedom and democracy, and those who were pessimistic about an imposed democracy that did not have well-established roots in the minds of the people or the new leaders.
The wheel of political life began to spin, and gradually crystallized through the constitution, which determines the form of the state, the powers of its different institutions, and the rights and freedoms of its citizens. With each election, hopes rose of solutions for a new era to push Iraq and Iraqis towards growth, development, and the promotion of democracy, but the situation became increasingly complex due to the political conflict that took on a sectarian nature and negatively impacted the lives of the people and their rights and freedoms.
The shape of democracy in Iraq became subservient to the political desires of the ruling parties. Observers of political life and the inner workings of active political parties now find that most parties lack internal democratic practices. In general, there is no transfer of power within parties, and any disagreement about the presidency of the party ends with the dissolution of the party and the formation of new parties. The environment still suffers from the prevailing “I” mentality, and it is natural that this mentality is reflected in the parties’ vision of the broader administration of the state, resisting any true transformation towards the achievement of democracy and guaranteeing constitutional freedoms in a manner consistent with the standards of international law.
Iraqi democracy today stands at a crossroads. The legislative process for laws concerning constitutional freedoms has become a nightmare for advocates of freedom such as social activists and rights and humanitarian organizations. This process presents a challenge to the representatives of the people in the extent to which they uphold the constitution. Freedom of expression, which represents one of the pillars of democracy, is on the verge of being considered a crime, rather than a constitutional right, a crime to be treated with the same level of seriousness as crimes of terrorism.
The seed of democracy in Iraq, represented by a constitution that provides for a multi-party system and peaceful transfer of power, is attempting to grow despite the circumstances that have stormed the region as a whole, specifically the political process in Iraq. Iraq today exists in a state of conflict that negatively affects the performance of its institutions, the progress of rebuilding efforts, and moreover, impedes the process of development in the country. But the voice of the people remains the basis of government: the ballot boxes that participated in the rise of parties to power in 2005 are the same ballot boxes that ousted half of those parties from power in 2010. This reflects the development in public awareness as well as the growing influence of civil society organizations in Iraq, which forced the disputing sides to come to an agreement and solve the crisis of forming a government.
Any process of political reform in Iraq must be based on strengthening democratic institutions and on ensuring the independence of the judiciary. The development that took place in the elected assemblies in general, particularly within the Council of Representatives, contributes to setting limits for extreme centralization. To a great extent, this development encourages the protection and acceptance of the other and the expansion of the scope of powers that allow the result of the people’s vote to impact the decision making process.
Nahla Alaulddin Arif is a civic rights activist and the vice president of Iraq’s Association of Women Entrepreneurs.
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