The youth of Iraq work and are active in a range of professional fields to reach their socioeconomic aspirations and dreams. Many of them, however, choose to stay away from Iraq’s troubled and malfunctioning political sector. Perhaps the most prominent reason for why young people here become entrepreneurs or work in economic development is the failure of Iraq´s political parties to run the state in an effective manner.
The state cannot deliver services to citizens unless all Iraqis – men, women and the youth – are involved on the political level to help build a future better Iraq where people can live in dignity, peace and prosperity and where the state actually functions.
Many young people here have simply turned away from politics because of the experience of their parents who were active during an era which produced sectarianism, racism and much bloodshed. Years of political rivalries and infighting have led to the decline and plundering of Iraq´s capabilities and resources. The state has been undermined to impose territorial and legal control, there is no rule of law. We are now living in the aftermath of political decisions that brought us Iraqis wars, calamities, huge human and material losses, and the war against ISIS.
Solutions to this difficult situation are possible to find but implementing them requires a firm and effective state. Young people in Iraq worry about the future and the rampant administrative and financial corruption in the state sector which is not being dealt with. The youth demand security, adequate housing and better economic conditions. Iraq is, after all, a country that has a good amount of natural resources.
As a result, the continuing troubles of the Iraqi political scene has created a state of continuous disagreement between the youth vis a vis the politicians. Many young people here believe that getting rid of the political parties that are currently in power is the best recipe to enhance sustainable development and get Iraq into a better condition. Politics should be rooted in and based on dialogue and constant negotiations. Since we’ve seen so much war, destruction and fighting here with our politicians in power, it’s no wonder that many young Iraqis have given up on politics and instead stage demonstrations and protests in the streets to demand justice.
