Based on Miqrab AI’s analysis of 406 trending Facebook posts in Iraq on January 19, 2025, the primary narratives revolved around domestic politics, particularly a contentious budget amendment in Parliament that saw MPs breaking quorum and public disputes over its contents. Another significant political development was the parliamentary approval of a new law for the National Intelligence Service, which was praised by the government but met with some criticism from other factions. Sports news, specifically Real Madrid’s victory in La Liga and the re-election of its president, also captured significant attention. Other trending topics included the Prime Minister’s meetings with provincial governors, the potential impact of a US TikTok ban on Iraqi users, and various human-interest stories that resonated with the public.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Parliamentary Dispute Over Budget Amendment

A major political debate erupted over proposed amendments to the national budget. MP Mustafa Sanad (Post Impact: 62%) announced that the “Front of Central and Southern MPs” successfully broke the quorum of a parliamentary session, forcing the removal of the budget amendment from the agenda. In a later post, he revealed that the Financial Committee (Post Impact: 36%) had voted to pass the amendment as it came from the government, which he claimed included increased costs for the Kurdistan Region. He was among those who rejected the vote and called on other MPs to vote against it. Meanwhile, MP Dr. Haider Al-Salami (Post Impact: 59%) reported that the Speaker of Parliament had approved his own proposals for amending the budget law, which include measures to secure employment for graduates and contract employees, asserting these proposals would not add a financial burden to the current budget.

2. Real Madrid’s Success in La Liga Captivates Fans

Real Madrid’s recent performance and leadership were a major topic of discussion among Iraqi football fans. The page Al-Khuwa Al-Nadhifa (Post Impact: 49%) reported on the team’s decisive 4-1 victory over Las Palmas, which propelled them to the top of the La Liga standings. In a separate post, the same page announced that Florentino Pérez has been officially re-elected as the president of Real Madrid until 2029. This news was also covered by Bab Al-Toob (Post Impact: 2%) and Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 30%), who shared a celebratory post from player Rodrygo stating, “luck in the game and luck in love.”

3. Parliament Approves Law for National Intelligence Service

The Iraqi Parliament voted to approve a new law for the National Intelligence Service (INIS), a move that drew both praise and criticism. Prime Minister Al-Mahندس Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani (Post Impact: 34%) congratulated the service, calling the law an important step in establishing state institutions. The Iraqi National Intelligence Service (Post Impact: 22%) issued a statement thanking the Prime Minister and Parliament. However, the Abbas Combat Division (Post Impact: 15%), while congratulating the INIS, expressed disapproval towards Parliament for delaying the approval of the service and retirement law for members of the Popular Mobilization Forces.

4. PM Al-Sudani’s Provincial Governance Meetings

Prime Minister Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani’s engagement with provincial governance was highlighted across several government pages. His official page, Al-Mahندس Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani (Post Impact: 22%), detailed a meeting of the Higher Coordination Committee between Governorates, where a new draft law for governorates was approved. The Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office (Post Impact: 15%) also reported on his meeting with the Governor of Najaf, Yousef Kannawi, to discuss service projects in the province. Similarly, the PMO shared details of his meeting with the Governor of Maysan, Habib Dhaher Al-Fartousi, to address infrastructure and sanitation issues in areas like Al-Butairah and Al-Salam.

5. Film Recommendation Goes Viral on Facebook

A film recommendation from the page Ministry of Iraqi Films (Post Impact: 100%) received exceptionally high engagement. The post promoted a survival film about two young Senegalese men undertaking a perilous journey through the desert and sea to reach Europe in search of a better life. The page described the movie as “terrifying” and one that will make viewers “isolate from the world and live inside its atmosphere,” highlighting the protagonists’ struggle against harsh conditions, hunger, and bandits on their quest for survival.

6. US TikTok Ban’s Potential Impact on Iraqi Users

The potential ban or sale of TikTok in the United States and its consequences for Iraqi users generated discussion. Technology and Communications (Post Impact: 5%) and Abu Al-Areef (Post Impact: 4%) explained that Iraqi users with U.S.-based Apple IDs could be affected, potentially losing the ability to download or update the app. Al-Khuwa Al-Nadhifa (Post Impact: 10%) reported that the app had resumed service in the U.S. and thanked former President Trump for his efforts to keep it operating. Meanwhile, Iraqi News Center (Post Impact: 4%) claimed the app was officially removed from the iPhone’s App Store.

7. Teacher Commemorates Deceased Student in Exam Paper

A touching story from Baqubah gained traction, where a high school Arabic teacher commemorated a deceased student, Malak Ahmed, in the midterm exam questions. Pages like Baghdad (Post Impact: 5%) and Iraqi News Center (Post Impact: 4%) shared the story, highlighting the teacher’s use of poignant poetry in the exam paper to describe her father’s grief. The posts noted that the student was a source of hope and ambition, and her passing left a deep impact on her teachers and classmates.

8. Zebari’s Claim About Dawa Party’s Post-2003 Role

A historical political claim by former Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari circulated on social media. Steven Nabil (Post Impact: 12%) and Yalla (Post Impact: 3%) reported Zebari’s statement, made on Dijlah TV, that U.S. Civil Administrator Paul Bremer had initially refused to include the Dawa Party in the post-2003 government, labeling it “terrorist.” According to Zebari, Massoud Barzani and the late Jalal Talabani insisted on the party’s participation. Commenting on related matters, Salim Mashkour (Post Impact: 3%) added that Barzani and Talabani themselves were once on a U.S. terror list and required temporary removal from it to visit the United States.

9. Concerns Raised Over Imported Cattle Shipment

Concerns were raised about a shipment of cattle allegedly infected with plague. The page Yalla (Post Impact: 3%) reported on an “urgent appeal” from MP Sahira Al-Jubouri, who claimed that a company imported calves from Djibouti using forged Yemeni certificates. She alleged the animals were carrying “the seventh strain” of plague and were arriving at the port of Umm Qasr on a ship named “Lady Rasha,” warning that if the cargo was unloaded, it would endanger Iraq’s livestock. The page Fad Daqiqa (Post Impact: 4%) also shared a post simply titled “Importing calves infected with plague disease.”

10. Proposed Fines for Absent Members of Parliament

A proposal to penalize absentee members of parliament was reported by several pages. Khabar Ajeal (Post Impact: 4%) and Iraqi News Center (Post Impact: 2%) stated that the Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, directed the activation of the parliamentary code of conduct. This directive includes imposing a fine of one million dinars on any MP who is absent from a parliamentary session and cancelling their overseas travel delegations.