“This candidate is trying to use an unhealthy tradition to gain votes,” wrote one Iraqi Facebook user from Baghdad. “Our society is trying to develop a civil code that puts an end to such harmful practices yet this candidate says he supports acts of revenge.” In Dhi Qar, there is a lot of reliance on tribal law rather than federal law and, as the Facebook user argued, Iraq’s very own Justice Minister is “supporting a kind of law that allows individuals to avenge misdeeds by killing members of other families – which is against the law”.
It hasn’t just been the posters coming in for a ribbing. General tactics for campaigning have also been the subject of much criticism and laughter.
A picture of one candidate carrying a grilled chicken into Baghdad’s slum areas caused a lot of mirth and commentary on Facebook. Special cars have been touring the neighbourhood distributing meals, says Ahmed Saif, who lives in one of Baghdad’s poorer neighbourhoods. They hand out food and the cards of the candidate who is responsible for providing it – these have the candidate’s name, his candidate number and the party or list he belongs to, on them.
“These people are just playing on hunger and poverty,” Ahmed Saif says, in a disgusted tone. “They think we don’t know that they will abandon us and forget everything we need as soon as they win a seat. Unfortunately this year the elections are taking place in spring,” he then said. “Which means they won’t distribute blankets like they did in the winter.”
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