Based on Miqrab AI’s analysis of 492 Facebook posts trending on November 9, 2025, the dominant narrative revolved around Iraq’s parliamentary elections, specifically the special voting day for security forces. This was highlighted by a high-impact campaign from Muqtada al-Sadr and his followers calling for a boycott under the hashtag #مقاطعون (#Boycotters), framing it as a religious and national duty to “save Iraq” from corruption. Alongside the election process itself, which saw official statements, reports on turnout, and a flurry of unconfirmed early results, significant attention was given to political controversies. These included widespread criticism of a $250 million government loan granted to businessman Khamis al-Khanjar and the decision by the head of the Communications and Media Commission to take leave following an alleged smear campaign.

Today’s Top 10 Facebook Trends in Iraq:

1. Muqtada al-Sadr Leads Election Boycott Campaign

The most prominent story on Facebook was the call by Sadrist leader Muqtada al-Sadr for a boycott of the parliamentary elections, heavily promoted under the hashtags #مقاطعون (#Boycotters) and #أنقذوا_العراق (#Save_Iraq). Multiple posts from his official page, The Private Office of His Eminence Sayyid Muqtada al-Sadr (Post Impact: 75%), shared his statements from the social media platform “X”. One post quoted a Quranic verse describing “Gog and Magog” as “mischief-makers in the land,” which followers interpreted as a reference to corrupt politicians. The page also posted a short message from Sadr stating, “Our security forces are the protectors of reform.” This narrative was amplified by other pages like Iraqi News Center (Post Impact: 12%), which declared, “The heroic Iraqi army will not kneel to your corruption.”

2. Criticism Over $250M Government Loan to Khamis al-Khanjar

A significant point of contention online was the Iraqi government’s decision to grant a $250 million loan to politician and businessman Khamis al-Khanjar to support his investment projects. The page Haider al-Hamdani (Post Impact: 35%) broke the story, framing it as a misuse of public funds by posting a video with the caption, “From the money of Iraqis!!” This criticism was echoed by the page From Baghdad (Post Impact: 2%), which shared a video of the mother of a martyr confronting al-Khanjar and demanding justice for her son, asking, “I want my son’s blood from you!” The posts generated strong reactions, with users questioning the government’s priorities and the allocation of such a large sum to a political figure.

3. Special Voting Day for Iraqi Security Forces

The special voting day for security forces ahead of the general election was a major topic of discussion, with numerous pages covering the event. Official entities like the Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (ICTS) (Post Impact: 12%) shared videos of its chief, Lieutenant General Karim al-Tamimi, and other personnel casting their ballots. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s office, Engineer Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (Post Impact: 6%), released a statement congratulating the forces and stressing the duty to provide a secure electoral environment. Meanwhile, news pages like Al-Khuwa Al-Nathifa (Post Impact: 11%) reported that the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced a match between the manual and electronic vote counts. Turnout figures were also shared, with Ahmed Althawaq (Post Impact: 6%) providing specific numbers of voters.

4. Nofal Abu Ragheef Requests Leave Amid Smear Campaign

Multiple pages reported that Nofal Abu Ragheef, the head of Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission, has requested a one-month leave of absence. According to pages like Haider Khalaf Ghazi (Post Impact: 9%) and Yalla (Post Impact: 7%), Abu Ragheef cited a need to care for his sick mother and to pursue legal action against what he described as “systematic blackmailing attacks” that have damaged his reputation and that of his family. The posts suggest the leave is a direct result of a smear campaign against him, with Baghdad (Post Impact: 4%) noting he requested the government follow up on the judicial investigation into the “network of accounts and personalities” targeting him.

5. Claims of Early, Unofficial Election Results Circulate

Following the special voting for security forces, several pages began circulating unconfirmed, preliminary results that claimed specific candidates and parties were taking the lead in various provinces. For instance, Iraqeen W Bas (Post Impact: 18%) reported that the Prime Minister was leading in Baghdad by a large margin. The same page also claimed former Nineveh governor Najm al-Jubouri was sweeping the vote in his province. Similarly, Diyala Diyala TV (Post Impact: 4%) stated a candidate named Al-Majma’i was poised for a historic win in Diyala. In response to such claims, the page Tech 4 Peace (Post Impact: 5%) cautioned its followers that the Independent High Electoral Commission is the only official source for results and that all other announcements lack credibility.

6. Albasheer Show Offers Satirical Takes on Elections

The popular satirical program Albasheer Show provided commentary on the elections through short video clips. In one highly engaged reel, Albasheer Show – albasheer show (Post Impact: 26%) sarcastically questioned candidates about their electoral platforms with the simple question, “What is your electoral program?” highlighting a perceived lack of substance. Another clip from the same page, Albasheer Show – albasheer show (Post Impact: 11%), humorously depicted the commotion surrounding a political figure’s arrival, asking, “What’s all this fuss? Who came?” These posts used satire to critique the political process and the behavior of candidates during the election season.

7. Praise for Zakho Football Club Fans

Fans of the Zakho football club received positive attention, with pages highlighting their passionate support. The page Al-Ghasala (Post Impact: 16%) posted a reel suggesting that due to the enthusiasm of Zakho’s supporters, “Iraq has reached the top ranks.” The praise was echoed by former Iraqi national team captain Younis Mahmoud. On his page, Younis Mahmoud – Younis Mahmoud (Post Impact: 3%), he shared an image of the fans with a caption expressing his love for the club and providing a link for fans to vote in a FIFA poll, presumably related to the fan display.

8. Commendations for Security Forces on Election Day

Separate from posts about the voting process itself, several pages shared messages of gratitude and praise for the security forces’ role in securing the special election day. Former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, on his official page Nouri AlMaliki – Nouri Al-Maliki (Post Impact: 11%), posted a message simply stating, “Thank you, protectors of Iraq.” This sentiment was shared by Maher Mouhi::Voice of the Protectors of the Homeland (Post Impact: 5%), which posted a video of a citizen expressing his feelings of safety, quoting him as saying, “Today when I saw the army, I felt safe and comfortable.” These posts highlighted a sense of public appreciation for the military and police’s efforts in maintaining order.

9. Calls to Revive Baghdad’s Cultural and Heritage Sites

A conversation emerged around the revival and preservation of Baghdad’s historic and cultural landmarks. The page Baghdad (Post Impact: 9%) celebrated the reopening of the 107-year-old Al-Wattan heritage house in the Karkh district after its restoration by a descendant of the original family, noting it has become a cultural center attracting tourists and diplomats. In a similar vein, Baghdad Projects – Baghdad Projects (Post Impact: 2%) put forward a detailed proposal to transform the abandoned Al-Rahman Grand Mosque into a national museum for Islamic art and history, surrounded by a large central park. The page argued this would create a new national landmark to unite Iraqis and serve as a tourist destination.

10. Social Media Mourns Tragic Local Deaths

Pages shared stories of tragic and sudden deaths in different Iraqi provinces, prompting expressions of grief from users. Latest Iraqi Events (Post Impact: 10%) reported on the death of a young man in Wasit province named Laith Alawi al-Atabi, who passed away minutes after feeling chest pain, leaving his family and friends in shock. In a separate incident, the page East of Iraq – East of Iraq (Post Impact: 5%) recounted the painful story of a father and son from Al-Khalis, Diyala, who died on the same day. Ali Kadhim (70) and his son Fawzi Ali (50) had both been receiving long-term medical care for different conditions. These posts highlighted personal tragedies and the fragility of life.