Les Irakiens aux urnes pour élire un nouveau Parlement
Les Irakiens ont voté mardi pour élire un nouveau Parlement, un scrutin peu susceptible de bouleverser le paysage politique, mais surveillé de près par Téhéran et Washington.L’Irak a connu une stabilité inhabituelle ces dernières années, après plusieurs décennies de guerre et de répression sous Saddam Hussein et depuis l’invasion menée par les Etats-Unis en 2003 qui l’a renversé.Beaucoup d’Irakiens doutent que ces élections puissent apporter un changement réel dans un pays qui souffre d’infrastructures médiocres, de services publics défaillants et d’une corruption endémique.Les bureaux de vote ont fermé à 18H00 (15H00 GMT) et les premiers résultats sont attendus dans les prochaines 24 heures. La commission électorale n’a pas encore annoncé le taux de participation.Dès le début du scrutin, en matinée, des personnalités politiques ont glissé leur bulletin dans l’urne d’un bureau de vote installé au sein du luxueux hôtel al-Rasheed de Bagdad.Des correspondants de l’AFP ont constaté une faible participation dans plusieurs grandes villes du pays. Les rues de Bagdad, placardées d’affiches électorales, étaient grandement désertes à l’exception de la présence de forces de l’ordre.Mohammed Mehdi, un fonctionnaire trentenaire qui a voté dans la capitale, souligne que les candidats ont dépensé beaucoup d’argent pour gagner des voix, “ce qui prouve que mon bulletin a de la valeur”.Plus de 21,4 millions d’électeurs ont été appelés à départager plus de 7.700 candidats, dont près d’un tiers de femmes, pour occuper 329 sièges de députés aux mandats de quatre ans. Les femmes doivent obtenir au moins un quart des sièges du futur Parlement, selon un système de quotas, tandis que neuf sont réservés aux minorités.Seuls 75 candidats indépendants sont en lice, la loi électorale étant perçue comme favorisant les grands partis. “Tous les quatre ans, c’est la même chose. On ne voit ni des visages jeunes, ni de nouvelles énergies” capables “d’apporter un changement”, déplore un étudiant à l’université, Al-Hassan Yassin.- Postes bien définis -Certains craignent de voir le taux de participation tomber en-dessous des 41% enregistrés en 2021, pour ce sixième scrutin depuis la chute de Saddam Hussein.Les élections ouvrent la voie à la désignation d’un nouveau président – poste largement honorifique réservé à un Kurde – et d’un Premier ministre – traditionnellement chiite – choisi après de longues tractations. Un sunnite occupera le poste de président du Parlement.Depuis la chute du sunnite Saddam Hussein, la majorité chiite longtemps opprimée en Irak continue de dominer, la plupart des partis conservant des liens avec l’Iran voisin.L’actuel Premier ministre chiite Mohamed Chia al-Soudani, qui mise sur un second mandat, espère une victoire. Il était arrivé au pouvoir en 2022 grâce au soutien d’une alliance regroupant des partis et factions chiites tous liés à l’Iran.- Absence de Moqtada Sadr -Le prochain Premier ministre sera élu par la coalition qui parviendra à rassembler suffisamment d’alliés.Lors des dernières législatives, le courant du leader chiite Moqtada Sadr avait remporté le plus grand nombre de sièges avant de se retirer du Parlement à la suite d’un différend avec les partis chiites qui ne soutenaient pas sa tentative de former un gouvernement et qui se sont plutôt regroupés entre eux.La rupture avait culminé avec des combats meurtriers dans la capitale.Cette année, M. Sadr a refusé de participer à une “élection bancale, dominée par les intérêts sectaires, ethniques et partisans”, appelant ses partisans à boycotter le scrutin.Les partis sunnites se présentent séparément, l’ancien président du Parlement Mohamed al-Halboussi étant donné favori.Dans la région autonome du Kurdistan, la rivalité entre le Parti démocratique du Kurdistan (PDK) et l’Union patriotique du Kurdistan (UPK) reste vive.- Téhéran et Washington à l’affût -L’Irak, proche allié de l’Iran et des Etats-Unis, cherche de longue date à maintenir un équilibre fragile entre les deux ennemis.L’Iran espère préserver son influence chez son voisin après avoir vu ses autres alliés régionaux (Hezbollah libanais, Hamas palestinien, Houthis yéménites) affaiblis par des frappes israéliennes depuis deux ans. Téhéran a en outre perdu un allié majeur avec la chute de Bachar al-Assad en Syrie fin 2024.Et l’Irak est sous pression des Etats-Unis (qui maintiennent quelque 2.500 soldats dans le pays) pour désarmer les groupes pro-iraniens.L’administration Trump a nommé un envoyé spécial pour le pays, Mark Savaya, d’origine irakienne, qui a insisté sur la nécessité de voir l’Irak “libéré des ingérences étrangères malveillantes, notamment celles de l’Iran et de ses supplétifs”.
Fanfare as Guinea launches enormous Simandou iron ore mineTue, 11 Nov 2025 15:43:51 GMT
Authorities in Guinea on Tuesday officially launched production at Simandou, a gigantic mining project that they hope will propel the poor west African country into the ranks of the world’s largest iron exporters.The long-awaited launch took place at a ceremony attended by the head of Guinea’s junta, General Mamady Doumbouya, south of Conakry at the …
Fanfare as Guinea launches enormous Simandou iron ore mineTue, 11 Nov 2025 15:43:51 GMT Read More »
Fanfare as Guinea launches enormous Simandou iron ore mine
Authorities in Guinea on Tuesday officially launched production at Simandou, a gigantic mining project that they hope will propel the poor west African country into the ranks of the world’s largest iron exporters.The long-awaited launch took place at a ceremony attended by the head of Guinea’s junta, General Mamady Doumbouya, south of Conakry at the port of Morebaya, through which the ore will be shipped.Doumbouya, who came to power in a 2021 coup, declared the day a public holiday, a sign of the importance authorities have attached to the mine.Of the four Simandou mining deposits, two are being developed by Chinese-Singaporean group Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS) and the other two by SimFer, a consortium owned by Rio Tinto and Chinese giant Chinalco.The project will ideally provide a stream of much-needed revenue for the country and has already resulted in the construction of infrastructure that could help diversify the economy. Industrial partners have spent approximately $20 billion building more than 650 kilometres (400 miles) of railways and a massive port.The Simandou project additionally represents several thousand direct jobs.Doumbouya, who was dressed in a white boubou tunic and did not speak at the ceremony, is now able to boast of having finally pushed the project over the finish line.The strongman is running for president in the country’s December 28 elections, despite initially promising to return the government to civilian rule.
Iraqis vote in general election at crucial regional moment
Iraqis voted for a new parliament on Tuesday at a pivotal time for the country and the wider region, in an election that both Iran and the United States will be closely watching.Iraq, which has long been a fertile land for proxy wars, has only recently regained a sense of stability, as it tries to move past decades of war since the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.But even now, the country of 46 million people suffers from poor infrastructure, failing public services, mismanagement and endemic corruption.Polling stations closed at 6:00 pm (1500 GMT), with preliminary results expected within 24 hours of closing.Yet many have lost hope that elections can bring meaningful change to their daily lives and see the vote as a sham that only benefits political elites and regional powers.No new names have recently emerged, with the same Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish politicians remaining at the forefront.More than 21 million people were eligible to vote for the 329-seat parliament, but many may have boycotted the polls amid deep distrust in the country’s political class.The electoral commission has yet to announce the turnout.For Mohammed Mehdi, a public servant in his thirties, voting is a right and a means to achieve change.While he does not blame those who chose to boycott, he said after casting his vote in Baghdad that politicians have spent heavily to win votes, “proving my vote is valuable — so I will use it.”- Boycott -The ballot is marked by the absence of influential Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr who has urged his followers to boycott the vote, which might also contribute to low turnout. The mercurial Sadr accused those in power of being “corrupt” and unwilling to reform. A close associate quoted him as urging his followers to stay home and treat election day as a “family day”.In 2021, Sadr secured the largest bloc before withdrawing from parliament following a dispute with Shiite parties which culminated in deadly fighting in Baghdad.Over the years since US-led forces ousted Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, Iraq’s long-oppressed Shiite majority still dominates, with most parties retaining ties to neighbouring Iran.By convention in post-invasion Iraq, a Shiite Muslim holds the powerful post of prime minister and a Sunni that of parliament speaker, while the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who hopes for a second term, is likely to score a significant win.Sudani rose to power in 2022 with the backing of the Coordination Framework, a ruling alliance of Shiite parties and factions all linked to Iran.But with a single party or list unlikely to achieve an outright majority, he must win the support of whichever coalition can secure enough allies to become the largest bloc.Although they run separately, Shiite parties within the Coordination Framework are expected to reunite after elections and pick the next premier.Sudani has touted his success in keeping Iraq relatively unscathed by the turmoil engulfing the Middle East.- Delicate balance -The next prime minister will have to maintain the delicate balance between Iraq’s allies, Iran and the US, even more so now that the Middle East is undergoing seismic changes, with new alliances forming and old powers weakening.Even as its influence wanes, Iran hopes to preserve its power in Iraq — the only close ally that stayed out of Israel’s crosshairs after the heavy losses its other allies have incurred in Lebanon, Yemen and Gaza since 2023.Tehran has meanwhile focused on other interests in Iraq — challenging the US with powerful Tehran-backed armed groups, and keeping the Iraqi market open to products from its crippled economy.Washington, which holds much sway in Iraq and has forces deployed there, conversely hopes to cripple Iran’s influence, and has been pressuring Baghdad to disarm the pro-Iran groups.On the ground however, Iraqis appeared torn between their hopes for change and disillusionment with the process.”We have unemployment and people are tired, we need progress,” said Ali Abed, 57, after casting his vote in the northern city of Mosul.Others meanwhile chose to boycott.”We have never seen anything good come from these politicians,” said Ali al-Ikabi, a 25-year-old tuk-tuk driver.More than 7,740 candidates, nearly a third of them women and only 75 independents, are standing under an electoral law that many believe favours larger parties.Sunni parties are running separately, with the former speaker Mohammed al-Halbussi expected to do well.In the autonomous Kurdistan region, the rivalry between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan remains fierce.
Shock follows carnage after suicide bombing in Islamabad
Charred vehicles and a mangled motorcycle lay outside Islamabad’s district court Tuesday, their metal frames still warm as investigators sealed off the area where a suicide bomber had killed at least 12 people.It was a rare assault at the heart of Pakistan’s capital where blood stained a two-way street, and shattered glass glimmered among the debris.”It was a very strong and terrifying explosion,” said Khalid Mandokhel, a 24-year-old lawyer.”Many of the victims were bystanders,” he told AFP at the scene.The blue police van hit in the blast stood crippled at the entrance, its metal pierced by shrapnel and tyres shredded, as investigators documented every mark on the vehicle.More than 25 people were wounded in the attack.Rustam Malik, another lawyer, said he “heard a loud bang at the gate” as he entered the complex, where daily, hundreds of people arrive to sort out legal matters. They did not expect to leave with their lives hanging by a thread. “There was thick smoke,” Malik told AFP.Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told journalists outside the court that the attacker had lingered outside the building for several minutes before striking.”He could not go inside (the complex); he blew himself up near the police vehicle,” Naqvi said.- ‘Complete chaos’ -The complex, home to several courts, is usually one of the busiest areas in Islamabad during the day. Nearby offices of senior administration and police officials add to the dense crowds.Outside the government-run hospital where most of the victims were taken, people were milling about as rescue workers wheeled people with head and leg injuries into the emergency room. Security guards, on alert, prevented the media from entering.Back at the blast site, cordoned off at several points, investigators gathered evidence until late afternoon.A heavy presence of police and paramilitary soldiers combed through the wreckage as a stray dog rummaged through the remains, sniffing at the scattered debris.Malik recalled “complete chaos” — lawyers and visitors running in panic after the explosion thundered through the compound. As investigators processed the scene, the lawyer waited patiently for police clearance so he could collect his vehicle which was damaged in the attack.”I saw two dead bodies lying at the gate and several cars were on fire,” he said.