Secularism in modern Iraq dates back to the 14 July Revolution of 1958 which overthrew the Kingdom of Iraq's Hashemite dynasty and established the Iraqi Republic.^[1] Islam is the official state religion of Iraq, but the constitution, guarantees freedom of religious belief and practices for Muslims, Christians, Yazidis and Sabean-Mandaeans.^[2]

The secular Iraqi Communist Party was the country's largest movement between the 1940s and 1960s, and was founded by activists from different backgrounds.^[3]

Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Iraqi society has experienced crises in its transition from a strong centralized state under the secular Baʿth Party to a state dominated by Shia Islamist parties.^[4] In particular sectarian violence increased dramatically.^[5] In 2006, OpenDemocracy reported that the regime change had damaged the secularism of Ba'athist Iraq.^[6] The emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq presented a challenge to secularism.^[7]

Since the end of the War in Iraq, secularism has grown in the country.^[8] A poll released in 2011 recorded that 67% of the population answered that they believe in God.^[9] In 2010, it was reported that Iraq was moving towards secularism.^[10] The growth of a secular, non-sectarian middle class has been seen.^[11]

• Civil Democratic Alliance
• Civilized Alliance
• Emtidad Movement
• Gorran Movement
• Iraq Freedom Congress
• Iraqi Communist Party
• Iraqi National Accord
• Iraqi National Congress
• Iraqi National Movement
• National Democratic Party
• Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq
• People's Party
• People's Union
• Progress Party
• Reconciliation and Liberation Bloc

• Irreligion in Iraq
• Islam and secularism

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History Chronology Ubaid period Hassuna culture Halaf culture Halaf-Ubaid Transitional period Samarra culture Uruk period Jemdet Nasr period Sumer Subartu Akkadian Empire Gutian dynasty Neo-Sumerian Empire Isin-Larsa period First Babylonian Empire Old Assyrian Period Middle Assyrian Empire Kassite dynasty of the Babylonian Empire Simurrum culture Babylonia Assyria Neo-Assyrian Empire Neo-Babylonian Empire Fall of Babylon Achaemenid Assyria Seleucid Babylonia Parthian Babylonia Sassanid Asorestan 638–1958 Muslim conquest of Mesopotamia Umayyad Caliphate Abbasid Caliphate Buyid dynasty Qara Qoyunlu Aq Qoyunlu Safavids Ottoman Iraq (incl. Mamluk dynasty) Mandate for Mesopotamia Mandatory Iraq Kingdom of Iraq Kings Arab Federation Republic 1958–1968 1968–2003 2003–2011 2011–present Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Iraq Region (National Command) Saddam Hussein Iraqi–Kurdish conflict 1974–1975 Shatt al-Arab clashes 1977 Shia uprising in Iraq 1979–1980 Shia uprising in Iraq Weapons of mass destruction Iran–Iraq War Operation Opera Invasion of Kuwait Gulf War 1991 uprisings Sanctions Iraq War U.S. invasion Iraqi insurgency U.S. troop withdrawal Insurgency (2011–2013) War (2014–2017) Fall of Mosul Mosul liberation Insurgency 2019–2021 protests 2021–2022 Iraqi political crisis
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