ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iraq’s National Coalition of Election Monitoring Networks and Organizations on Friday issued a detailed preliminary report documenting widespread violations during the parliamentary campaign period, warning that political competition has increasingly turned violent, corrupt, and polarizing.

The coalition, which brings together the Shams Network, Tammuz Organization, Ain Network, Jaf Network, the Kurdish Institute for Elections, the Iraqi Minorities Alliance, and the Nuraqib Mission, based its findings on 309 monitoring forms collected up to October 15, 2025.

In a copy of the report obtained by The New Region, the coalition said that “the integrity and fairness of the elections face challenges ranging from physical violations and misleading practices to hate speech that threatens social peace.” It added that Iraq’s digital sphere has become “the primary arena of political conflict,” particularly in spreading defamatory content and incitement between competing blocs.

The report classified violations into three categories: critical, threatening lives and the integrity of the vote; high-risk, undermining equality and the neutrality of the state; and moderate, referring to procedural or administrative irregularities.

Most common violations

The coalition said vandalism and destruction of campaign materials were the most frequent violations, with 126 recorded cases, or 40.8 percent of the total, rated high in severity. Exploitation of public spaces such as roads, parks, and electricity poles followed with 85 cases, representing 27.5 percent, rated medium-high. Early campaigning before the official start date accounted for 48 cases, or 15.5 percent, rated medium. Use of state property, including government buildings, schools, and vehicles, was documented in 27 cases, or 8.7 percent, rated high. Obstruction of visibility and safety hazards appeared in 24 cases, or 7.8 percent, rated high for their impact on public safety.

Vote buying and bribery represented 13 cases, or 4.2 percent, and were rated critical. Exploitation of religious sentiments and sacred symbols appeared in nine cases, or 2.9 percent, rated medium-high. Exploitation of vulnerable groups, including people with disabilities and the poor, reached seven cases, or 2.3 percent, rated medium-high. Incitement to violence and explicit threats were recorded in five cases, or 1.6 percent, rated critical, though the report also noted a broader 3.1 percent figure for security-related threats and incitement that it described as the election’s gravest risk. Defamation, misinformation, and the spread of false information were observed in five cases, or 1.6 percent, rated medium-high.

Violations by province

Across Iraq’s provinces, monitors documented violations ranging from vandalism and hate speech to intimidation and the misuse of government property. In Nineveh, observers reported 53 cases involving systematic poster removal and exploitation of public and religious sites. Erbil recorded 37 cases, the highest in the Kurdistan Region, focused on hate speech and misuse of public resources. Sulaimani followed with 36 cases dominated by vandalism and targeted hate campaigns. In Kirkuk, 33 cases included vote buying in exchange for jobs and armed attacks on candidates. Diyala documented 28 cases, mostly large unauthorized posters and early campaigning. In Kokurk, 20 incidents involved racially charged rhetoric and targeted destruction of certain candidates’ materials. Maysan recorded 14 cases of vandalism, misuse of government vehicles, and vote buying. Duhok registered 14 cases of systematic destruction of opposition materials. Babel documented 15 cases, including one serious security incident linked to campaign activity. Karbala recorded 10 cases involving violence, intimidation, and misuse of public areas. Salahaddin, Muthanna, and Najaf also reported multiple incidents largely related to vandalism and early campaigning.

Corruption and security concerns

The coalition warned that the 8.7 percent rate of state property misuse demonstrates attempts to hijack the neutrality of the state by converting public institutions and government resources into partisan tools. It also described vote buying and bribery, at 4.2 percent, as clear indicators of electoral corruption that undermine the free will of voters.

On the security front, the report said that incitement to violence and explicit threats, accounting for about 3.1 percent of total recorded cases, represent the most dangerous threat to electoral integrity. It cited the assassination of a candidate in Baghdad and several armed attacks as examples of how political rivalry has shifted into coercion and intimidation. The coalition added that online hate speech and smear campaigns have become a new form of political violence, targeting reputations and deepening ethnic and sectarian polarization, particularly in disputed territories.

Top provinces by violation severity

The report identified Kirkuk, Baghdad, Maysan, Duhok, and Salahaddin as the most affected provinces. In Kirkuk, 20 violations, or 6.5 percent, involved racial or discriminatory rhetoric and targeted vandalism amid rising ethnic tensions. Baghdad recorded 15 cases, or 4.9 percent, including an assassination and political violence aimed at eliminating rivals. Maysan reported 14 cases, or 4.5 percent, involving misuse of government vehicles, vote buying, and the flow of political money. Duhok also recorded 14 cases, or 4.5 percent, tied to the systematic removal of opposition campaign materials. Salahaddin registered 10 cases, or 3.2 percent, involving the use of government buildings and personnel for campaign purposes.

The coalition said Iraq’s elections face challenges that go beyond procedural violations, warning that the competition has shifted from political platforms to a struggle for material, financial, and security influence. It urged intervention by higher authorities, including the judiciary and the National Security Service, to ensure election safety and accountability.

The report denounced what it called the domination of physical violence and systematic erasure during campaigns, noting weak legal deterrence against vandalism and the politicization of public spaces, which it said threatens safety and deepens social division.

The coalition proposed immediate measures to strengthen deterrence, including action by security forces and the electoral commission to impose tougher penalties for vandalism, the launch of a hotline for reporting threats, and the publication of names of political entities found guilty of misusing state property to generate public and media pressure.

For the medium term, the coalition called on the Supreme Judicial Council to establish a specialized investigative body for electoral corruption to expedite cases of vote buying and bribery. It recommended suspending or revoking the eligibility of candidates or political blocs found guilty of systematic violations.

It also urged parliament to amend the Political Parties Law to impose financial penalties on entire political entities, not just individual candidates, when systematic electoral misconduct is proven.