Iraq’s ethnic groups growing fragmented

Politicians appear to be distancing themselves from openly sectarian rhetoric ahead of polls

Long beset by toxic divisions, Iraq seems to be growing even more fragmented ahead of national elections scheduled for May, with Iranian influence set to grow and the minority Sunnis seething as they fend for themselves in areas of the country shattered by the three-year war against Daesh.

The Sunnis, many of them in displacement camps, bore the brunt of the war’s destruction and have been left so bereft that many don’t even have the papers needed to register to vote. If they don’t end up feeling the vote was fair, that could badly undermine the international community’s goal of bringing about the more inclusive government critical to maintaining a unified state and avoiding a repeat of the Daesh disaster.

Adding to the volatile mix are the Iranian-backed Shiite militias, now even more politically involved, which are allied with but not controlled by the Baghdad government, and appear set to gain influence that would alarm many in the region trying to check the power of Iran.

If divisions among persist they could lead to more protracted talks to form a new government, potentially delaying the colossal task of rebuilding Iraq after Daesh overran nearly a third of the country in 2014, and then hung on as a US-led coalition surrounded and bombarded the areas they controlled.

Aware of the problem, politicians now appear to be trying to distance themselves from openly sectarian rhetoric in the run-up to the vote, saying they will form diverse and cross-sectarian coalitions. But many expect the generally chaotic post-election creation of a parliament majority will be sectarian in nature nonetheless.

“Differences now are deeper than before in that everyone is seeking influence in the next government,” said Ali Al Adeeb, a leading Shiite politician. “Thus, the process of forming the new government will be complicated and any further delay will further complicate the political and security scene.”

Nearly 7,000 candidates will vie for 329 seats in parliament the May 12 elections.

AP A campaign poster of lawmaker Hanan Al Fatlawi is seen in Baghdad. Iraq’s Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds have grown more fragmented and divided ahead of elections scheduled for May.