Abdul El-Sayed defies $60 Million campaign against him, wins Michigan Democratic Senate Primary

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  By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis Despite massive spending by outside groups and high-profile endorsements for his opponent, Abdul El-Sayed secured a decisive Democratic Senate primary victory and now heads into a closely watched November showdown. Abdul El-Sayed has scored one of the most closely watched political upsets of the 2026 election cycle, defeating Representative Haley Stevens in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary despite facing more than $60 million in outside spending , much of it from pro-Israel political groups. The victory marks a significant breakthrough for the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and sets up a high-stakes general election contest against Republican Mike Rogers in November. El-Sayed's campaign prevailed even after Stevens received late endorsements from Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and influential national Democrats, including Representative James Clyburn . Those endorsements failed to reverse momentum behind El-S...
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Masrour Barzani’s Baghdad Visit Signals KDP Push to Rebuild Iraq Alliances


Kurdish Prime Minister Meets Sunni and Shia Power Brokers as New Political Bloc Emerges Around the PUK

By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj

Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan — 25 May 2026

Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met Sunni and Shia leaders in Baghdad, including Qais al-Khazali, in what appears to be a strategic effort by the KDP to repair strained ties and counter the growing influence of the PUK in Iraq’s political alliances.

Masrour Barzani Launches Political Reset in Baghdad

The recent visit of Masrour Barzani to Baghdad has triggered intense political speculation across Iraq, as the Kurdish leader met a range of powerful Sunni and Shia figures in what increasingly appears to be a coordinated attempt to repair the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s strained relations with key Iraqi actors.

Among the most notable meetings was Barzani’s encounter with Qais al-Khazali, the influential leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, alongside several other Shia political figures.

The meetings come at a sensitive moment in Iraqi politics, where shifting alliances, oil disputes, and competition over federal influence are reshaping the balance of power between Kurdish parties and Baghdad’s major political blocs.

KDP Attempts to Counter PUK’s Expanding Influence

Political observers increasingly believe the visit reflects a broader KDP strategy aimed at containing the growing influence of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) within Iraq’s Sunni and Shia political networks.

Over the past year, several major Iraqi actors — including Khazali, Sunni leader Mohammed al-Halbousi, and senior PUK figures linked to the Bafel Talabani camp — have increasingly appeared to coordinate positions across multiple political arenas.

Their cooperation has reportedly extended beyond parliament into:

  • Iraqi Football Federation elections
  • Provincial council politics
  • Ministerial appointments
  • Federal patronage negotiations
  • Coalition voting strategies

Analysts say this emerging alignment has gradually evolved into an informal but increasingly consolidated political bloc capable of shaping key Iraqi decisions.

For the KDP, the consolidation of such a network presents a strategic challenge.

Meetings Signal Tactical Normalization — Not Strategic Realignment

Barzani’s meetings with Sunni and Shia leaders may help reduce tensions and reopen communication channels, but analysts caution that they are unlikely to fundamentally dismantle the alliances already formed around the PUK.

Instead, the visit appears aimed at:

  • Preventing further political isolation of the KDP in Baghdad
  • Rebuilding personal channels with influential Iraqi figures
  • Securing support ahead of contentious legislation
  • Protecting Kurdish economic interests
  • Managing disputes over oil exports and salaries

The timing is particularly important as negotiations intensify over Iraq’s long-delayed oil and gas legislation, one of the country’s most politically explosive unresolved issues.

Oil, Salaries, and Baghdad’s Leverage

According to reports from Asaib-linked media outlets, Barzani’s Baghdad diplomacy is partly focused on securing guarantees from Baghdad regarding:

  • Kurdish oil exports
  • Salary transfers to the Kurdistan Region
  • Revenue-sharing mechanisms
  • Future energy negotiations

Media affiliated with Asaib Ahl al-Haq claimed the KRG premier is attempting to build a political “lobby” in Baghdad ahead of upcoming oil and gas negotiations.

The issue remains central to relations between Erbil and Baghdad, particularly after years of disputes over:

  • Independent Kurdish oil exports
  • Budget transfers
  • Federal court rulings
  • Energy sovereignty

The KDP leadership understands that Baghdad’s political alliances increasingly shape the Kurdistan Region’s economic stability.

Symbolic Tensions Reveal Deep Distrust

Despite the diplomatic optics, the meetings also exposed lingering distrust between the KDP and factions within Iraq’s Iran-aligned political camp.

Asaib-affiliated media referred to Barzani as the “caretaker prime minister” of the Kurdistan Regional Government — language widely interpreted as a deliberate political slight aimed at undermining the KRG’s legitimacy.

At the same time, Asaib-linked outlets criticized Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasem al-Araji for displaying the Kurdistan flag during his meeting with Barzani, describing the act as “unconstitutional.”

The controversy highlights how even symbolic gestures involving Kurdish identity continue generating political friction inside Iraq’s fragmented power structure.

Iraq’s Political Landscape Is Rapidly Shifting

Barzani’s Baghdad visit underscores a broader transformation underway in Iraqi politics.

Traditional alliances are becoming increasingly fluid as:

  • Kurdish parties compete for influence in Baghdad
  • Sunni actors reposition themselves after years of fragmentation
  • Iran-linked factions consolidate institutional power
  • Oil and revenue disputes intensify ahead of elections

The emergence of cross-sectarian tactical alliances — particularly those involving Kurdish, Sunni, and Shia actors — suggests Iraq’s political system is evolving beyond its older post-2003 frameworks.

Yet despite these changes, mistrust between the KDP and many Baghdad-based factions remains deeply entrenched.

For now, Masrour Barzani’s diplomatic outreach may succeed in lowering tensions and reopening dialogue.

But whether it can reverse the growing influence of rival Kurdish alliances in Baghdad is another question entirely.

#MasrourBarzani #KDP #PUK #Iraq #Kurdistan #Baghdad #MiddleEast #Geopolitics #QaisAlKhazali #Halbousi #OilPolitics #KRG

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