Based on an analysis of 436 Facebook posts on December 24, 2024, by Miqrab AI, the primary narratives in Iraq revolve around national sentiment, politics, and holiday observations. The most engaging topic was support for the Iraqi national football team, led by a high-impact post from star player Younis Mahmoud, alongside a related media controversy. Widespread celebrations and official recognitions of Christmas dominated the conversation, with political and religious leaders issuing greetings and the government declaring a public holiday, reflecting a theme of national unity. Political discourse was also prominent, focusing on a meeting between Prime Minister Mohammed Shai’a Al-Sudani and his predecessor Adel Abdul Mahdi, as well as analyses of the evolving situation in Syria and its potential repercussions for Iraq. Other key topics included government announcements concerning military personnel, weather alerts, and social media controversies.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Football Support and Controversy Around Younis Mahmoud

The most engaging topic centered on the Iraqi national football team and Younis Mahmoud, the second vice-president of the Football Federation. Mahmoud’s official page, Younis Mahmoud (Post Impact: 100%), shared a message of support, expressing great confidence in the coaching staff and players to achieve victory and bring joy to the Iraqi public. In parallel, a controversy involving Mahmoud gained traction. Pages like Khalil Hassan Khalil (Post Impact: 9%) and Torai’f al-Alam bi-Uyun Iraqia (Post Impact: 2%) discussed a dispute between Mahmoud and journalist Ali Nouri, with some calling on Nouri to step down from his program. Meanwhile, media figure Ali Athab (Post Impact: 10%) reposted a past interview clip praising Mahmoud’s strong responses to difficult questions.

2. Widespread Christmas Greetings and Celebrations

The Christmas holiday was a major theme, with numerous pages sharing greetings and documenting celebrations. The page for The Private Office of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 28%) shared a post from the cleric’s “X” account simply stating “#Happy_Christmas,” which was also shared by the Saraya al-Salam – Central Media Directorate (Post Impact: 2%). Political figures joined in, with Prime Minister Al-Sudani’s attendance at a Christmas Eve mass in Baghdad’s St. Joseph’s Cathedral covered by his Media Office (Post Impact: 2%). Similarly, Rayan Al-Kildani (Post Impact: 2%), leader of the Babylon Movement, shared photos of his participation in the Christmas mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Salvation. Pages like Baghdad (Post Impact: 2%) shared images from the mass, sending greetings to Iraqi Christians.

3. PM Al-Sudani Meets Former PM Adel Abdul Mahdi

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani’s official page, Al-Mohandes Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani (Post Impact: 31%), reported on his meeting with former Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. The post stated that the two discussed the general situation in the country, the government’s progress in implementing its program, and economic growth. They also addressed regional developments, particularly the situation in Syria, with the post emphasizing Iraq’s firm position on preserving Syrian territorial integrity and strengthening Iraqi security forces to face challenges. The meeting was also referenced by Ninawa (Post Impact: 2%), which shared a clip of Abdul Mahdi discussing threats he faced while in office.

4. Analysis of Syrian Turmoil’s Implications for Iraq

The recent events in Syria and their potential impact on Iraq were a subject of analysis and discussion. MP Mustafa Sanad (Post Impact: 19%) posted a video analyzing what he described as the “behind-the-scenes” events in Syria, the role of international players, the repercussions for Iraq, and likely future scenarios. Similarly, commentator Salim Mashkour (Post Impact: 5%) criticized the new Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa (Al-Jolani), for what he termed a sectarian speech to a Lebanese Druze delegation, suggesting it was a return to the rhetoric of Jabhat al-Nusra. Fact-checking page Tech 4 Peace (Post Impact: 3%) debunked a photo attributed to Al-Jolani that had been circulated by politician Faiq Al-Sheikh Ali, clarifying it was not him and that a denial attributed to his media office was also fabricated.

5. Gov’t Declares Christmas Day a National Holiday

The Iraqi Council of Ministers’ decision to declare Wednesday, December 25, an official public holiday for Christmas was widely reported across multiple news and official pages. The General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers (Post Impact: 9%) made the official announcement, which was echoed by pages such as Al-Khowa Al-Nadhifa (Post Impact: 6%) and the official Government of Iraq (Post Impact: 2%) page. Following the announcement, some pages like Diyala TV (Post Impact: 9%) and Markaz al-Iraqi al-Khabari (Post Impact: 3%) began speculating that the holiday might be extended to include Thursday as well.

6. Ministry of Defense Announces Land Plots for Personnel

Good news for military personnel was shared regarding the allocation of residential land plots. The page Maher Mouhi::Sawt Humat al-Watan (Post Impact: 7%) announced the development and thanked Minister of Defense Thabet al-Abbasi for his efforts in securing these rights for ministry members. The official military spokesperson’s page, Yahya Rasool (Post Impact: 2%), also shared a video of Minister al-Abbasi delivering the news. The page Wahid Riasa (Post Impact: 1%) further detailed that the Council of Ministers had voted to allocate land in the Nahrawan area of Baghdad for officers, ranks, and employees, with the ministry responsible for preparing plots in other provinces.

7. Weather Alerts Issued for Fog and Approaching Rain

Pages focused on current events and news warned of changing weather conditions. Al-Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 5%) reported a wave of fog forming over Baghdad accompanied by a noticeable drop in temperature. Looking ahead, the same page, Al-Iraq 24 (Post Impact: 3%), as well as Nafs al-Iraq (Post Impact: 2%), cited the meteorological authorities in forecasting a rainy weather system beginning on Thursday, along with the return of a cold polar wave.

8. Nostalgia for Past Iraqi Culture and Media Circulates

A theme of nostalgia was present in posts reminiscing about life and media in previous decades. The Iraq & Canada (Post Impact: 8%) page shared a lengthy post describing “the good old days,” recalling details like television broadcasting for limited hours and the simple joys of childhood. The post listed several common childhood experiences, asking readers which ones they remembered. Similarly, the Baghdad (Post Impact: 2%) page commemorated the iconic TV program “Sports in a Week,” which was presented by Muayad al-Badri and first aired in 1963. The post celebrated the show’s 30-year run and its role in introducing Iraqis to a variety of sports beyond football.

9. Media Personality Fatima Qidar Faces Backlash

A social media controversy emerged around media personality Fatima Qidar. The page Torai’f al-Alam bi-Uyun Iraqia (Post Impact: 1%) reported that Qidar was facing sharp criticism after a video circulated in which she allegedly said a photo was “a foul because the sanitation worker appeared in it.” A response to her comments was shared by Akher al-Ahdath al-Iraqia (Post Impact: 2%), which posted a video of a sanitation worker reacting to Qidar’s statement and her reported refusal to be photographed near sanitation workers.

10. New Development and Infrastructure Projects Highlighted

Several pages highlighted ongoing and upcoming development projects, particularly in the capital. The Mashari’ Baghdad – Baghdad Projects (Post Impact: 2%) page noted the significant urban development in Baghdad, stating that over 1,000 high-rise towers are either completed, under construction, or approved. The post called on authorities to upgrade infrastructure to match this growth. In more immediate news, Mashari’ al-Iraq – Iraq Projects (Post Impact: 2%) posted a video counting down the “hours until the opening of the Al-Nisour Tunnel.” The Al-Qasr al-Hukumi (Post Impact: 2%) page also teased that new projects would be opened “in bulk” within hours.