Legislative in Iraq: when ex-protesters become candidates
Audio 01:25
Iraq: Ali Aqil, in the courtyard of his building located in the Al Sadriya district of Baghdad, is a candidate for the legislative elections on Sunday, October 10.
© Murielle PARADON
Text by: RFI Follow
1 min
D-1 day before the early parliamentary elections in Iraq, one of the Iraqi government's rare concessions to the youth who had massively demonstrated in the streets in October 2019 to demand change.
The voting system has been changed to favor independent candidates.
Many ex-protesters doubt it and will boycott the ballot, but some on the contrary have decided to participate actively.
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With our special envoys in Baghdad,
Murielle Paradon
and
Boris Vichith
“
This is my house.
A modest home in a poor district of Baghdad, this is where Ali Aqil lives, an academic in his forties who decided to run for the legislative elections to try to change things in his country, so that
protests in 2019
were not for nothing.
“
During the protest movement, 800 people were killed, more than 25,000 were injured.
I think one of the goals of our movement was to make a difference.
"
►
To read also:
Iraq: reinforced security in the run-up to legislative elections
A call to vote
Providing work for young people, fighting corruption, we must respond to the demands of young people, but for that, everyone must vote, according to Ali Aqil: “
Iraqis must realize that broad participation will make the difference.
It is possible to drive out some of the corrupt personalities.
Perhaps the change will not come entirely as we hope, but it would be a first step in the right direction.
"
Ali Aqil is part of a new collective for change, outside the traditional parties, even if he admits to being supported by a former minister.
Now he has to convince the voters.
►
To read also:
Legislative in Iraq: indifference and disillusionment on the eve of the election
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