BAGHDAD
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis took to the streets of Baghdad on Saturday to protest frequent power cuts, which have persisted despite recent pledges by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to end them.
Angry crowds converged on central Baghdad’s Tahrir Square, where they blamed the government for chronic electricity shortages and demanded the dissolution of parliament and judicial reform.
One group of demonstrators, waving Iraqi flags, shouted anti-Iran slogans, chanting: “Iran get out of Baghdad”. Others shouted, “Baghdad will remain free”.
Earlier this week, Iraq’s parliament approved a raft of reforms proposed by al-Abadi and endorsed by Iraq’s council of ministers.
The reform package is ostensibly aimed at fighting corruption and streamlining state bureaucracy.
