Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at his residence in Baghdad, on October 21, 2025. CHARLES THIEFAINE FOR LE MONDE
With a construction crane as his emblem and the slogan "Iraq First," Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has presented himself as a builder in the November 11 legislative elections. After three years in office, during which Iraq has regained stability and launched major infrastructure projects, the party of this 55-year-old Shiite leader has emerged as the frontrunner in opinion polls, through his electoral alliance, the Coalition for Reconstruction and Development. Yet, he is not certain to secure a parliamentary majority under his own banner to serve a second term.
"Our development and reconstruction program prioritizes Iraq, and the hopes and aspirations of Iraqis (...) We do not want to act as proxies for anyone. Iraq will not become a battlefield for conflicts," the prime minister told foreign newspapers, including Le Monde. Since the war between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas broke out in Gaza in October 2023, the Shiite leader has worked to maintain a balance between his rival partners, the United States and Iran, to prevent the conflict from spreading to Iraq, as it already has to Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Yemen.
