De-Ba'athification

De-Ba'athification (Arabic: اجتثاث حزب البعث; sometimes called de-Saddamization) refers to a policy undertaken in Iraq by the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) and subsequent Iraqi governments to remove the Iraqi Ba'ath Party's influence in the new Iraqi political system after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. It was considered by the CPA to be Ba'athist Iraq's equivalent to Nazi Germany's denazification after World War II. It was first outlined in CPA Order 1 which entered into force on 16 May 2003. The order declared that all public sector employees affiliated with the Ba'ath Party were to be removed from their positions and to be banned from any future employment in the public sector.

The policy was highly controversial among many American academics, institutions, government, military, and international media and debate outlets. The policy under the CPA was officially rescinded on 28 June 2004 as part of the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqi Interim Government two days later. However, elements of the policy continued under the Iraqi Governing Council and later under the elected Iraqi Parliament.

The de-Baathification order was drafted by relatively unknown mid-level Pentagon officials and emerged from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld’s office.

Proponents of the policy contend that the policy effectively cleansed Iraqi society of Ba'athist influence, facilitating the creation of a democratic Iraqi government. Critics argue that the policy was not only undemocratic, but also a significant factor in the deteriorating security situation throughout Iraq. The policy became associated with anti-Sunni sectarianism due to it disproportionately affecting Sunni Muslims.

A similar de-Ba'athification also occurred in Syria from December 2024 following the fall of Ba'athist Syria which also removed the influence of the Syrian Ba'ath Party in the new Syrian political system led by the new Syrian caretaker government.