Civil society in hybrid regimes? The case of Iraq

The post-Cold War period has seen the emergence of governments across the globe which have hijacked democratic practices such as elections, media freedoms and political opposition as part of their strategy to retain, rather than diffuse, power. Such regimes are referred to as ‘hybrid regimes’ because they blend elements of traditional authoritarian rule with some of the political norms, practices and institutions typically associated with democracy. However, very little attention has been paid to the role that civil society plays in these complex political environments. Where civil society has been addressed, it is typically to measure the extent to which it plays a role in either successful democratic transition and consolidation or in bolstering authoritarian stability. This article therefore seeks to extend existing studies of civil society in hybrid regimes by demonstrating that they can agitate against the state, advocate for democratic freedoms, shape government policy and win significant political victories even when their actions do not lead to a more robust democracy. To demonstrate, I investigate the complex role that trade union activism has played in post-2003 Iraq as one case study indicative of the complex interface between civil society and the state in hybrid regimes.