Iraq’s election could be worthless if few turn out to vote

A FATWA ISSUED by Ali al-Sistani, an influential Grand Ayatollah, was all it took to push Iraq’s Shia Muslims into risking death in battle with the jihadists of Islamic State in 2014. But his edicts seem to be having less success at persuading Iraqis to stroll sedately to the ballot booth to vote on October 10th. Although parliament bowed to the demands of young protesters for an early election, it now seems that most Iraqis will boycott the event. If that happens, sectarian and ethnic militias, especially those closest to Iran, will probably tighten their grip all the more.