Why anti-LGBTQIA+ law is supported in Iraq? An evidence from conjoint analysis

On April 27, 2024, Iraq’s National Assembly, established after the country’s 2003 transition to democracy, passed a controversial anti-LGBTQIA+ law. This development raises critical questions about public support for such policies in a democratic system expected to protect sexual minority rights. Why has intolerance toward LGBTQIA+ individuals increased alongside democratization? Is this trend linked to the political system itself or independent of regime type? Using a survey experiment, this paper examines the conditions under which anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation gains support in Iraq, where Islamism has grown increasingly influential in politics since democratization. The study tests two hypotheses. The doctrinal faith hypothesis proposes that Iraqis with strong Islamic values are more likely to support anti-LGBTQIA+ laws, while the liberal values hypothesis suggests that those who prioritize universal human rights are less likely to support them. The findings strongly support the doctrinal faith hypothesis. In a context where Islamist actors have gained power through democratic processes, policies that restrict sexual minority rights tend to receive broad public backing, contributing to a significant erosion of human rights norms.

Conjoint analysis · Preference · Scale (ratio · Advanced Causal Inference Techniques · Economic and Environmental Valuation · Game Theory and Voting Systems