By failing to reach an agreement to form an electoral alliance, the Kurdistan Region’s opposition parties missed a golden opportunity to shake up the duopoly of the KDP and PUK’s power.
In the run-up to this month’s parliamentary elections (12 May), the Kurdish parties are running individually, but in the Iraqi-controlled disputed territories they act differently.
“We can’t call Iraq a federal state when there is only one federal region”. Baghdad needs to develope a national reconciliation strategy among the country’s various ethno-religious & social groups, through dialogue and trust-building.
Given the institutionalized nature of corruption in Iraq, fighting it will prove substantially difficult, and would require a national program that upsets major aspects of Iraqi politics.
The recent Iraq-Saudi Arabia rapprochement policy should be understood in the context of convergent political, security, and economic interests, with implications for regional security and stability.
Kurdistan shows that post-conflict countries can build a thriving higher education sector by working with foreign partners
The Kurdistan referendum has opened the way for Baghdad and Erbil to prioritise serious negotiations.
MERI hosted a roundtable event for diplomats, policymakers, and experts to discuss Kurdistan’s independence referendum and its consequences for the region.