Iraqi Christians pessimistic after vote

Many Christians boycotted recent elections in Iraq due to the hijacking of their minority representation seats by a hostile party. Some are believed to have given up on the electoral process altogether, while others no longer have the right to vote in the Muslim-majority country.

Due to their minority status, five of the Iraqi parliament’s 329 seats are reserved for Christians, but have been hijacked in the past by the Babylon Movement, a Chaldean Catholic party which purports to stand up for believers. But it is said by many Christians to be effectively a militant Shia Muslim party supported by Iran.

A member of Open Doors’ Middle East team told en that the movement has used an election loophole over many years to ensure non-believers vote for them in Christian seats, and they are also believed to have forced members of their militias to vote for them and paid others for support.