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In Iraq, the Friedrich‑Ebert‑Stiftung’s youth study from 2022 finds that young people associate the term “politics” primarily with party policies and the public policy of the country, but also with pervasive corruption, an incompetent political elite, and the wasteful spending of public money. Respondents describe political parties as networks that trade favours, divide wealth, and evade punishment and accountability. The challenges brought on by the COVID‑19 pandemic are seen as the most prominent and consequential changes they have faced recently, shaping everyday life and future expectations.
In Iraq, the same study shows that youth are torn between the prospect of migration and staying in their own country. While many feel a strong attachment to their families and local communities and do not view migration as an easy or perfect solution, they also experience conflicting emotions about leaving home. This ambivalence reflects both the desire for better opportunities abroad and the fear of losing the social ties that ground them in their homeland.