Kurdish Policy Analysis

  An analysis of the Kurdistan Region's 6th parliament session, political divisions between KDP and PUK, and the future of governance. Executive Summary The convening of the 6th term of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament and the election of its presidium—achieved through a thin 52-seat quorum led by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)—marks a critical juncture in Iraqi Kurdistan’s political landscape. While framed by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani as a democratic victory and a restoration of institutional legitimacy, the session was boycotted by major political forces, including the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and New Generation. Rather than resolving the region's political deadlock, the session underscores deep-seated administrative dualism, political transactionalism, and the fragility of the KDP-PUK power-sharing model. Key Analytical Pillars [ Parliament Session (52/100 Seats) ] [ KDP Narrative: Legitimacy ] ...

Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj Kurdistan Region leaders explore a new approach to relations with Iran amid evolving regional dynamics and political considerations. Sta tements by senior leaders of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) at the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) forum, which took place in Erbil from 12 to 14 October, have placed relations with Iran at the center of a broader political debate. These positions combine efforts to prevent Iranian Kurdish armed groups from launching attacks from Iraqi territory with calls for greater engagement with Tehran. This apparent consensus marks a rare point of agreement among Iraqi Kurdish leaders, even as the forum appeared to expose divisions within the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Nechirvan Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region, sharply criticized [i] the activities of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups during the US-Israeli war with Iran. He stated that the KRI had shut its border with Iran and cautioned against slowing armed groups...