Political Parties and the Political System in Iraqi Kurdistan

Abstract

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has a multi-party system which has been held up as a model for democratic pluralism in the whole region. The nature of Kurdistan’s political parties is strongly related to the position of Kurds in Iraq. From the mid-twentieth century, the dominant Kurdish political party in Iraq was the Kurdistan Democratic Party; in a later partisan split the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was born. Moreover, in the last three decades other political parties have come into being, which have all influenced the characteristics of Iraqi Kurdistan’s political system. This paper’s main argument is that Iraqi Kurdistan shares many of the characteristics of its main political parties, including reliance on charismatic leadership, a focus on nationalism, and the lack of transparency. This paper analyzes the primary characteristics of the Kurdish political parties and their influence on the institutional functions of the political system in the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdish Civil War and Peace Negotiations, 1994–1998

“…The direct negotiations between Barzani and Talabani were an important factor in the success of the talks in Washington. As both Barzani and Talabani were party leaders with decision-making powers, they had the authority to compromise and reach an agreement (Hama and Abdullah, 2021).…”

Party corruption in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Context and implications

“…In general, while the PUK has perhaps borne less responsible for corruption and mismanagement, its participation in government and support for most of the KDP's decisions implicates them in corruption in the Region. These two parties have shaped the divided political landscape in the KRI, both sides maintaining their own military forces and zones of influence, which hampers the development of good governance (Hama & Abdullah, 2021).…”