Arqoub returns in a formal suit… How did Al-Sudani’s reforms turn into corruption deals and electoral financing with the money of the poor?
Arqoub returns in a formal suit… How did Al-Sudani’s reforms turn into corruption deals and electoral financing with the money of the poor?
9-17-2025
Information / Special ..
Just two months ago, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani came out to the Iraqis with what he called the “government’s program for correction,” announcing a broad anti-corruption purge that included referring four ministers to the judiciary and replacing them, a step that observers at the time considered the beginning of a “new era.” However, it quickly became clear that these statements were nothing more than a modern version of “Arqoub’s” promises, with no impact on the ground except in the headlines
. In reality, Iraqis soon discovered that the alleged “reform” was nothing more than a political repositioning within the government. The ministries that al-Sudani announced had been purged were handed over to loyal party figures, as part of a new division of the pie, distributing benefits among parties allied with al-Sudani or those that provide him with political and media cover.
Informed sources within three different ministries revealed to Al-Maalouma News Agency that the Prime Minister’s Office itself has become a pivotal player in securing contracts and contracts. This is achieved through direct negotiations with local companies and contractors, who are asked to waive profit margins in exchange for billions in contracts, or to hire specific individuals, under the threat of obstructing their operations.
Even more alarming, according to these sources, is that a number of these deals are being conducted with the knowledge of the Prime Minister himself, and even with his green light. The goal is to secure massive funding for his upcoming election campaign, through which he seeks to dominate the scene in the capital, Baghdad, and win a majority of votes, using political capital and state resources.
The sources pointed out the irony that Al-Sudani, who began his term with anti-corruption slogans, now runs a vast network of patronage extending from his office to the lowest-ranking employee in some sensitive ministries. Indeed, some ministers are aware of the behind-the-scenes scheme and the arrangements being made with Al-Sudani’s office to remain in their ministries and halt their alleged replacements due to their involvement in corruption cases.
What is happening today in Al-Sudani’s office and in some ministries is worse than traditional corruption. We are witnessing a state run on a private farm, where loyalty trumps competence and partisan interests trump the national interest.
Despite the extent of the accusations and information circulating about the involvement of people close to Al-Sudani in these practices, the judiciary has not yet opened a serious investigation, amid talk of political pressure to prevent accountability. This raises serious questions about the future of the Iraqi state if this approach continues.
Al-Sudani’s reforms, which initially raised hopes, have turned into a smokescreen covering the largest “recycling” of corruption in Iraq. Ministries were distributed as spoils, positions were bought and sold, and deals were passed with the knowledge and blessing of the highest levels of power. All of this is happening under the banner of the government program. Will Iraqis once again pay the price of political deception? Will the upcoming elections turn into a new charade with corrupt funding and forbidden ill-gotten gains? The answer does not require much thought, but rather a degree of courage in calling things by their names, and marching towards the elections to choose the most suitable and competent and support those who defend rights and duties and preserve gains.
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