Lebanese channel al-Mayadeen, linked to Hezbollah, may be relocating from Beirut to Baghdad following the recent launch of Al-Mayadeen Plus, which begins covering Iraqi affairs with the parliamentary elections as a prelude to broader regional coverage.

Iraq's parliamentary elections come amid a notable decline in Iran’s regional influence, an absence of security unrest in Sunni cities, the unprecedented boycott by the Sadrist movement since 2005, and the exclusive adoption of biometric voting cards.

Billionaire businessman Andrej Babis has won parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic, although his populist ANO party fell short of an overall majority.

One by one, Iraq’s ruling Shiite factions have been making concessions to the United States under unprecedented pressure from Washington on Tehran-aligned allies who assumed power after the 2003 U.S. invasion and the fall of Saddam Hussein.

Egypt’s new election law is seen as cementing executive control and marking the formal end of meaningful political competition.