A Multimodal Analysis of the Iraqi Candidates' Strategies of Persuasion: The Provincial Elections as a Sample

Political persuasion is a complex phenomenon, particularly evident in the realm of election campaigns. This article focuses on the intricate art of persuasion employed in the posters of Iraqi elections. Election posters are not merely informative, but are meticulously designed pieces of propaganda that aim to influence, persuade, and shape the voting behavior. To explore this capacity, six posters are investigated according to Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2021) and Chilton's (2004) frameworks. The aim is to dissect the multimodal persuasion strategies employed in Iraqi electoral posters. The capacity of these posters lies in their multimodality, a strategic combination of various semiotic resources such as text, color, and imagery. In the context of Iraqi elections, these elements take on a unique cultural and political impact. The findings of the study show that the visual and textual content of the posters aim to provide a sense of shared identity and promise of change contributing to shaping the understanding of the contemporary political communication.