Iraq: protests against power cuts
During a power cut in Baghdad, Iraq on July 3, 2021. REUTERS - SABA KAREEM
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Several demonstrations took place this Friday, July 9 in Iraq to protest against the power cuts.
With the summer, these became more and more frequent, and more and more difficult to bear.
With three months of legislative elections, the government claims to be mobilized.
But the supply difficulties are numerous.
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It's a summer classic in Iraq, and with a mercury approaching or even exceeding 50 degrees today, 2021 is no exception: power cuts are part of everyday life for most Iraqis.
But without an air conditioner, fan and refrigerator, the current heat wave is hard to bear.
This Friday, hundreds of people gathered in front of the Kerbala power station.
But since the beginning of July, demonstrations have followed one another: in Baghdad, Basra and in smaller towns in the country, causing the authorities to fear a large-scale social movement while legislative elections are due to take place in three months.
Multiple causes according to the authorities
According to the Ministry of Electricity, the repeated outages are due to a combination of factors.
He cites terrorist attacks on certain high-voltage lines, problems with the supply of gasoline to power plants despite the country being a major oil producer and the halt in Iranian deliveries, with Tehran claiming payment arrears from Baghdad.
As a sign of the government's feverishness, the minister in charge of the file has tendered his resignation.
The Prime Minister announced a series of so-called emergency measures, including the establishment of a support committee for the Ministry of Electricity.
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Iraq