Nearly two decades after the 2003 invasion, Iraq faces a constantly shifting political landscape. Protest movements pushing for civil and democratic rights persist in the wake of fragile state institutions and continued sectarian conflict. The recent election, with its low voter turnout, suggests a disillusionment with the politics and electoral prospects of Iraq. 

So what next in the country's efforts to rebuild? How can the international community better support the growth of the Iraqi economy? In the context of continued sectarian disputes, how might an Iraqi parliament look? And after years of turmoil, how can stability be obtained? 

Chloe Cornish,  Middle East Correspondent at the Financial Times, talks to Ali Al-Baroodi, photographer, writer and lecturer; Mark Bryson-Richardson MBE, UK Ambassador to Iraq; Dr Choman Hardi, poet and scholar of gender and education in Iraq; and Shayan Talabany, Analyst at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Extremism Policy Unit.

This episode was recorded as a live broadcast on 8 November 2021

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