Money and Media: The Hidden Forces Shaping Iraq’s Parliamentary Elections

As Iraq prepares for parliamentary elections on Tuesday, growing concerns have emerged about the outsized influence of political funding and media manipulation on the democratic process. Observers and researchers warn that Iraq’s media landscape has transformed into a paid arena where image, messaging, and information are carefully managed by those with the deepest pockets.

More than 7,750 candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats across Iraq’s provinces under a proportional representation system. The official campaign period, which began on October 10, will conclude with a mandatory silence period starting November 8 at 7 am.

Behind the campaign posters and political rallies lies a complex web of financial influence that extends deep into Iraq’s media ecosystem. According to a former campaign manager who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue, candidates routinely go beyond purchasing traditional advertising.

“Some candidates don’t stop at buying TV ads; they actually buy the news coverage itself,” the source revealed. They described specialized offices that produce seemingly neutral journalism—news bulletins and field reports—that are actually fully funded by candidates seeking favorable coverage.

This commercialization of news content presents a serious challenge to electoral integrity. With little transparency regarding media funding sources, both the Iraqi Electoral Commission and the Communications and Media Commission lack effective mechanisms to monitor campaign spending or enforce existing regulations.

Zainab al-Saadi, an academic and Iraqi media researcher, explained the fundamental power imbalance created by this system. “Political funding now determines who is seen and who is heard in the media space,” she said.

The impact extends beyond simple visibility. “When a candidate or a party owns a TV channel or funds large pages on Facebook and TikTok, they are not presenting an electoral program,” al-Saadi noted. “They are building a full environment that promotes a perfect image of themselves and demonizes their rivals.”

The digital battlefield has become increasingly important, with sophisticated targeting strategies replacing broad television appeals. Mohammed al-Akili, a digital marketing expert, highlighted how online campaigns have grown more influential than traditional media approaches.

“Digital election campaigns have become more influential than television campaigns because they target specific audiences precisely, using people’s emotions, religious or national feelings, and even their political frustration to influence their decisions,” al-Akili said.

Iraq’s regulatory framework has failed to keep pace with these developments. While Iraqi election laws establish spending limits for campaigns, they lack clear enforcement mechanisms, particularly regarding media expenditures. The Electoral Commission has neither the financial tools nor the banking oversight capabilities to track propaganda funding.

Legal expert Ahmed al-Rubaie pointed to significant gaps in the current regulatory approach. “Current election laws do not keep up with the new media reality, as a large part of campaigning is now run online, a space that is difficult to track financially or legally,” he said.

Even traditional broadcasting outlets exploit loopholes in the system. “Satellite channels use legal loopholes by offering promotional content under the names of talk shows or special coverage,” al-Rubaie added.

The influence of political money extends beyond media operations. In the weeks leading up to elections, candidates frequently launch charity initiatives in disadvantaged communities, distributing food, blankets, or funding infrastructure repairs through affiliated organizations—all captured by media partners as part of the campaign strategy.

Journalists face significant pressure to participate in this system. A local Baghdad reporter, speaking on condition of anonymity, described “heavy pressure from channel management to cover the activities of specific candidates only because they are the main financiers of the channel.”

Those who resist such directives often face professional consequences. “The journalist who refuses this finds himself excluded from coverage or moved to another department,” the reporter explained.

This commercialized environment creates a self-reinforcing cycle where financial resources translate directly into media presence, further advantaging well-funded political actors. Media outlets that accept political funding can afford superior production quality and technology, but this often comes at the cost of editorial independence.

As Iraq approaches this pivotal election, these intertwined influences of money and media raise fundamental questions about the fairness of the electoral process and whether voters can make informed choices based on substantive policy positions rather than manufactured media narratives.