Iraqis protest lack of electricity, employment

BAGHDAD--Iraqi citizens protested lack of basic services such as electricity and employment Monday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

With one in five Iraqis jobless, crumbling infrastructure and frequent blackouts, demonstrations across Iraq attempted to spark a response similar to protests held in the Mideast and Egypt, said the New York Times.

Hassan Ghazi, 35, told the New York Times that Iraqis "don't want to change the regime."

"We need unity, a demand for the same thing," Ghazi said.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Iraqi government is responding to the varied demands of protesters, citing Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's decision to give back half his annual salary.

Although Iraq's government was elected by democratic vote last year, deficiency in day-to-day services arose from delayed formation of a governing coalition, according to the Wall Street Journal.