Iraq Intensifies Anti-Corruption Campaign Against Structural Graft

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Corruption in Iraq has evolved into a parallel system affecting the relationship between the state and society. Iraq consistently ranks low on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, indicating a structural crisis rather than simple administrative weakness. The government of Ali Ziyadi is facing an early test in converting anti-corruption rhetoric into permanent institutional policy. Key areas such as border crossings, major investment contracts, and public projects have become sites where party interests and economic gains overlap, often managed by "economic delegations" linked to political powers. In recent months, the government has launched a wide-scale campaign involving the detention of high-ranking officials, searches, and the seizure of assets worth millions of dollars. These actions signal a shift from political discourse toward judicial and security enforcement. Long-term success depends on the continuity of these efforts, the digitalization of public administration, and the strengthening of judicial independence. Given international restrictions on money laundering and the financing of illegal activities, the state must apply uniform legal standards to all actors to establish a national governance standard that includes the Kurdistan Region.