Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi will be hoping his track record against ISIS will be in Iraqi voters' minds on Saturday. In case they have forgotten, the name of his coalition is Nasr, or Victory.
He had little such swagger when he took office in 2014, having come to the fore as a compromise candidate after political horse-trading between parties. Inoffensive to many if only because he was a relative unknown, some saw him as a weak technocrat who could be easily manipulated.
He has proven otherwise. After replacing Nouri Al Maliki, who despite being disgraced by the rise of ISIS and the group's advance toward Baghdad became a vice president after resigning as prime minister - Mr Abadi stepped into perhaps the toughest job in the world. Aside from ISIS overrunning a third of the country, he had to contend with the collapse of 22 army and federal police brigades, as well as Kurds in the north threatening to secede. The front cover of Time Magazine had already proclaimed the end of Iraq, while even bullish American generals predicted the war against ISIS could last a decade.
Mr Abadi's reversal of ISIS is his strongest card. And he is playing it.
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Iraq elections 2018: military and diaspora begin casting their votes
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He declared total victory against the group at a military parade in December where formations of marching soldiers spelled out 'Nasr'.
All along, the prime minister has used his reputation as an inoffensive technocrat to his advantage, deftly balancing relations between Iran and the United States, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. He has made attempts at statesmanship with his constituents within Iraq too. A Shiite who eschews sectarianism, he won respect from at least some Sunnis for his role in liberating Mosul and other areas from ISIS, while also reaching out to Kurds by opening a speech to them in broken Kurdish, a language he does not speak. His list is the only one to campaign in all 18 of Iraq’s provinces and Mr Abadi himself made a recent campaign trip to Iraq’s autonomous region of Kurdistan.
Any votes Mr Abadi can win from across Iraq's sectarian divides will be crucial as he faces down powerful Shiite rivals. Foremost among them is likely to be Hadi Al Ameri, leading the Fatah – or conquest bloc. Like Mr Abadi, Mr Ameri is trading off his role in the war against ISIS as leader of the Hashed al Shaabi paramilitary forces.
Popular in Shiite areas in southern Iraq, he is seen as a strongman with a long military record and is tipped to run second to Mr Abadi in the elections. But the 63-year-old has a chequered history: he fought against Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war, on the side of Iran, killing Iraqis in the 1980s, and later against the Americans following the 2003 invasion. His ascension would likely sway Iraq's foreign policy away from the US and towards Iran.
Mr Al Maliki, meanwhile, is attempting to become prime minister again. He was also a relative unknown when he was appointed in 2006, with American approval. He had campaigned on rebuilding state institutions, tackling corruption and providing services but instead his eight years in office were blighted by accusations of sectarianism and corruption. His rule was widely blamed for contributing to the rise of ISIS. As head of the Dawa Party, Mr Maliki, combined with his vice presidency, remains one of the country's most influential politicians.
He has proposed forming a multi-ethnic political majority government as opposed to the current system in which the cabinet must reflect the make-up of parliament. But critics fear a return of sectarianism. Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, the leader of Iraq's Shiite Muslims, appeared to suggest in a recent sermon that he was opposed to Mr Maliki’s return, telling Iraqis they should "avoid falling into the trap of those... who are corrupt and those who have failed".
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Read more:
Iraq elections 2018: country readies for first polls since end of ISIS war
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The evolution of Iraqi politics, since the end of the permanent presence of the US military, is completed by the rise in politics of Moqtadr Al Sadr.
The former head of the Mahdi army, a Shiite militia who opposed the American presence and killed many soldiers, has undergone a transformation that sees him embraced as a populist folk hero among his followers.
Unlike in 2010, when he backed Mr Maliki, Mr Al Sadr has this year rejected the former premier's proposed majoritarian government. Mr Al Sadr has also paired with the secular Iraqi communist party to form Al Sairun Party, and can be counted on to mobilise his supporters.
A large number of Kurdish, Sunni, Shiite and secular blocs are also contesting the elections and will win seats. With so many blocs, even though Mr Abadi will likely win a plurality, he will need to form a coalition.
"These major parties, they will all pick up seats in double digits but I don't think anyone will reach above 40, except Abadi," predicts Sajad Jiyad, the managing director of Baghdad-based think tank Al Bayan Center.
Months of back room negotiations could follow before a government is announced, with how many seats the smaller parties win influencing the make-up of government. But Mr Jiyad believes it is Prime Minister Abadi who is best qualified to retain the top job.
"Abadi is the only one of the candidates committed to keeping Iraq neutral in the region," he said.
"He also hasn't alienated anyone in the country, we've got support from the IMF [International Monetary Fund], we have the coalition [against ISIS]. He's the only one committed to remaining on that course."
With little to distinguish the candidates in terms of policy – all vow to fight corruption and improve services – it is unclear how the elections will improve the day to day life of ordinary Iraqis.
"There's no policy, it's all just buzzwords," Renad Mansour, an Iraq expert with international affairs think tank Chatham House, told The National. Speaking from Erbil, he added: "All a lot of Iraqis see is the same old elite saying they're going to change."
INFO
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
HER%20FIRST%20PALESTINIAN
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Easter%20Sunday
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ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
more from Janine di Giovanni
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
Abu Dhabi card
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,400m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000 2,200m
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 1,400m
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
The National selections:
5pm: Valcartier
5.30pm: AF Taraha
6pm: Dhafra
6.30pm: Maqam
7pm: AF Mekhbat
7.30pm: Ezz Al Rawasi
Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20WallyGPT%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2014%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESaeid%20and%20Sami%20Hejazi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%247.1%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2020%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%20round%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates