Visiting Fellow
Iraqi politics; Iraqi foreign policy; democratisation in Iraq; federalism; international development
English, Arabic
Hamzeh Hadad is a visiting fellow with the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
Hadad is a researcher and political analyst based in Baghdad. His research focus is democratisation and federalism in Iraq. He has published in and been cited by various media on Iraqi political affairs. In 2021, Hadad was an advisor to the president of the Trade Bank of Iraq. Prior to that, he was the development officer at the German Embassy in Baghdad for two years. He holds an MA in international affairs, specialising in international development policy, from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs in Ottawa.
Recent escalations in Iraq’s contested Kirkuk province reveal the structural tensions inherent in the coalition government, posing a risk of Turkish and Iranian intervention and wider instability in the region
Quran desecration in Sweden and Denmark has drawn the ire of Muslim-majority countries. European governments should act now to prevent an escalation of tensions
Following the recent thaw in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Iraq is strengthening its ties with GCC states. European countries should support this development, which could help Iraq address its domestic challenges
Post-invasion Iraq has proven resilient in the face of many challenges – but problems remain that Europeans could assist with resolving
Iraq’s new prime minister is well placed to negotiate both the pitfalls of domestic politics and to play a mediating role within the Middle East
Europeans should avoid supporting a snap election simply because a political leader is unsatisfied with the result of a government formation process and threatens violence in response
Iraqi leaders’ inability to form a government or deal with national challenges is destroying the legitimacy of the state. They need to appoint a new type of prime minister.
Much of Iraq’s post-war history has been a question of survival of the state. Now, Shia politicians are driving an intra-sect competition for leadership.
Iraq’s recent election upended the informal political agreement that had dominated its politics since 2003. European countries should press Iraqi leaders to break the current deadlock in parliament.
Post-invasion Iraq has proven resilient in the face of many challenges – but problems remain that Europeans could assist with resolving
Recent escalations in Iraq’s contested Kirkuk province reveal the structural tensions inherent in the coalition government, posing a risk of Turkish and Iranian intervention and wider instability in the region
Quran desecration in Sweden and Denmark has drawn the ire of Muslim-majority countries. European governments should act now to prevent an escalation of tensions
Following the recent thaw in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Iraq is strengthening its ties with GCC states. European countries should support this development, which could help Iraq address its domestic challenges
Iraq’s new prime minister is well placed to negotiate both the pitfalls of domestic politics and to play a mediating role within the Middle East
Europeans should avoid supporting a snap election simply because a political leader is unsatisfied with the result of a government formation process and threatens violence in response
Iraqi leaders’ inability to form a government or deal with national challenges is destroying the legitimacy of the state. They need to appoint a new type of prime minister.
Much of Iraq’s post-war history has been a question of survival of the state. Now, Shia politicians are driving an intra-sect competition for leadership.
Iraq’s recent election upended the informal political agreement that had dominated its politics since 2003. European countries should press Iraqi leaders to break the current deadlock in parliament.
It is important to understand that Iraqis — and this goes across the spectrum of political leaders, religious leaders, civilians — are pro-Palestinian rights
Hamzeh Hadad explains Iraq’s stance on the Israel-Gaza war
Hamzeh Hadad comments on Iraqi federalism on the sixth year anniversary of the Kurdish referendum
A year after the Mahsa Amini protests, Hamzeh Hadad writes about their impact on Iraq
Hamzeh Hadad writes about Iraq strengthening its ties with GCC states
However, Iraq’s economy and budget rely heavily on oil, which puts both in a precarious position
Hamzeh Hadad writes about Iraq´s new budget
