Karima Ali Al-Rubaie
Baghdad – Attorney Niran Aziz Al-Zahawi, a law graduate from 1959 with over thirty years of experience in legal practice and consulting, is running for Iraq’s Parliament under the Alternative Coalition, holding list number 250 and candidate number 16. With her extensive legal background, she aims to channel her expertise into tackling the nation’s most pressing social issues.
Iraq’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for Tuesday, November 11, 2025, with more than 7,700 candidates competing for 329 seats in the Council of Representatives. The elections come amid growing public and official calls to strengthen democratic participation.
Al-Zahawi explained that her decision to run stemmed from deep professional and human experiences, noting that her long career in law brought her face-to-face with the daily struggles of ordinary Iraqis. Among these, she said, the housing crisis stands out as one of the most urgent challenges. Her research with the Ministry of Planning revealed a deficit of three million housing units across the country
She considers this issue a cornerstone of her legislative agenda, rooted in years of study and a firm belief that sustainable solutions begin with accurate diagnosis, not political slogans. According to Al-Zahawi, the housing problem has persisted through five consecutive parliamentary sessions without meaningful reform, calling instead for a practical and time-bound strategy rather than rhetorical promises.
Housing as a Constitutional Responsibility
Al-Zahawi highlighted that the Iraqi Constitution guarantees housing as a fundamental right, which places a constitutional duty on the incoming government to address the worsening crisis. She pointed out that while Investment Law No. 13 of 2006 was initially designed to enable affordable housing for low-income families, its real-world implementation strayed from its intended purpose.
She explained that land allocations were concentrated in expensive city centers, turning housing projects into profit-driven ventures inaccessible to their target populations. Instead, she argues, government-owned lands in Baghdad’s outskirts could be developed with transparent pricing mechanisms, allowing fair competition among investors and significantly reducing housing costs.

Addressing the crisis, she stressed, requires reforming how housing laws are applied, steering investment toward social justice rather than commercial gain.

Practical Solutions for Housing and Hidden Unemployment

Al-Zahawi proposes realistic and integrated solutions, starting with a comprehensive reassessment of land distribution policies. She advocates allocating land to citizens on the condition that construction begins before ownership transfer, curbing real estate speculation that inflates prices.

She also calls for empowering the “real estate developer” model—tasked with providing essential infrastructure such as water, electricity, and roads—to enable affordable home construction. For her, the housing issue intersects directly with Iraq’s hidden unemployment, which has grown due to inefficient administrative planning.

To address this, Al-Zahawi recommends forming an administrative reform committee composed of Iraqi experts and supported by international consultants to realign the public workforce based on merit and seniority. She also underscores the need to revitalize the private sector through government-backed training programs, creating sustainable jobs and better utilizing national human resources.
Youth Empowerment and Electoral Challenges
Firmly believing that young people are Iraq’s future, Al-Zahawi laments the lack of post-graduation support that leaves many youth directionless. She proposes creating funding initiatives offering low-interest loans to help young Iraqis start their own businesses. These funds would be sustained through profits from major corporations, creating both social and economic impact.
This initiative, she argues, would shift the culture away from reliance on government jobs, empowering youth to design their own professional paths.
However, Al-Zahawi acknowledges the significant challenges she has faced in her campaign. Chief among them is the absence of political funding, as her coalition rejects “money politics.” This made outreach a demanding task requiring substantial personal effort to educate voters about her platform and priorities.
Another challenge lies in the societal barriers facing female candidates, including smear campaigns and symbolic violence. Nevertheless, Al-Zahawi expresses pride in the steadfast support of her family, whose encouragement is rooted in shared national values and an unshakable belief in her mission.
Finally, she points to institutional hurdles within the election commission and logistical constraints that hindered campaign operations. Despite limited resources, she praises her team’s dedication to maintaining a transparent and well-documented campaign, achieving commendable results under challenging circumstances.