‘Strange, odd’ Iraqi election posters popular on social media

As Iraq’s parliamentary election campaigns get under way, with blocs competing to gain a majority in the 328-seat parliament, parties are posting their ads across the country, with some seemingly odd promotional techniques on show.

Here is a list of some of the seemingly bizarre posters that have been widely circulated on social media.

1. Zahrawi Abbas, one of the candidates running with the “We Work for Iraq” bloc is targeting hungry potential voters by placing his mini poster on plastic wrapped grilled chickens.

This prompted one Twitter user to write: “The chicken is great but where do you stand on the issues? #IraqElections2014”

2. A billboard promoting the predominantly Shiite Al-Muwatin, or the National Iraqi Alliance Coalition, has a NIDO milk ad set as its background. The text reads: “The citizen is waiting.”

One Twitter user commented on the poster saying: "In the Iraqi elections, they stole NIDO’s slogan!"

3. Ahmed Katafa, who is running for the Harakat Shams, or Sun Movement, bloc, appears to be standing in a T-shape on his poster.
The text reads: “Hands of the poor cry, hands of the unemployed complain. Sadness and suffering, and with God we depend on.”

4. The lawyer Muwafak al-Ubaidi, running with the mainly Sunni Al-Arabiya Coalition which split up from secular yet Sunni-backed Al-Iraqiya List, says on his poster: “I swear by the name of God, I participated in the election after I received an order from Prophet Mohammed.”

5. In his election poster, candidate Amr al-Ali poses with his oud - an Arabic guitar-like instrument.
The text on his poster reads: “Elect Diyala’s artist Amir al-Ali.”

6. Dr. Amal Kashif al-Ghita from Al-Muwatin, or the National Iraqi Alliance Coalition, is running with the slogan “no to abortion, yes to natural breastfeeding.” She also promises monthly tourist trips to meet Sayyid Mohammad (a revered religious figure) for each Iraqi family.

Women not using their pictures

The Iraqi parliamentary elections in 2010 witnessed some female candidates not posing for their posters due to conservative traditions, the trend continues in 2014.

7. Widowed school principle Sawosan Ahmed has not used her picture in her candidate poster, but a photo of her dead husband, Salam Kurdi al-Janabi.

In response, one Twitter user wrote: "What a strange, odd thing in the Iraqi elections."

7. Female candidate Shatha al-Sultan has used a picture of her husband Ahmed al-Kanani instead.

9. Khawola Jodah, the State of Law bloc’s female candidate, used a picture of her brother Ahmed Jodah.

Iraq’s parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on April 30.