BAGHDAD — The April 18 arrest of Jamal al-Karbouli, head of a prominent Sunni bloc in parliament, as part of the Iraqi government’s continuing attempts to crack down on corruption was unexpected and could influence the country’s Oct. 10 parliamentary elections.
Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi had pledged to fight Iraq’s dismal reputation for widespread corruption when he was sworn in on May 6, 2020. In August, he then issued an administrative order to form a committee linked directly to his office to investigate corruption cases.
