Iraqis headed to the polls Tuesday for a parliamentary election marked by low voter turnout, tight security, and a boycott from a major political bloc.

More than 8,700 polling stations opened across the country, while security forces and displaced citizens in camps cast their ballots in early voting on Sunday.

However, polling sites visited by reporters from the Associated Press saw sparse crowds in the early hours of voting day, reflecting widespread voter apathy and frustration with Iraq’s political system.

According to Iraq’s election commission, only 21.4 million out of 32 million eligible voters updated their registration and received voter cards  about 2.5 million fewer than in 2021, when around 24 million were registered to vote.

The election unfolds against a backdrop of major geopolitical upheavals in the Middle East. In the past two years, the region has been shaken by the wars in Gaza and Lebanon following Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, the Israel–Iran war in June 2025, and the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad late last year.

These developments have deepened tensions in Iraq, where U.S. pressure has mounted on Baghdad to curb the growing influence of Iran-aligned militias — some of which have candidates in this election.

Initial results are expected on Wednesday. Political analysts say the outcome will reveal whether Iraq’s fragile democracy can weather deepening regional conflicts and growing disillusionment among its citizens.