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3/4 Kurds in Iraq and Kurdistan: From Power Struggles to Autonomy

By Martin Aslan

The “Kurdistan Region of Iraq” (KRI) is a semi-autonomous region with the city of Erbil as its capital. The Iraqi kurds push for independence, including the 2017 independence referendum led by Masoud Barzani, has been a significant aspect of its political landscape.

The Parliament of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is the legislative body of the Kurdistan Regional Government, responsible for passing laws, overseeing the government, approving the budget, and representing the region’s interests. It is a unicameral legislature consisting of 100 seats.

The political landscape of Iraqi Kurdistan is shaped by the balance of power between the Barzani and Talabani tribes, historically the most influential in the region. Between 1992 and 2005, the KRI was divided, with Masoud Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) controlling the north and Jalal Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) governing the south.


Political parties and Armed groups

The “Kurdistan Democratic Party” (KDP/PDK) is one of the main parties in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Founded in 1946 in Mahabad, Iran, the KDP has played a central role in the Kurdish political movement in Iraq and is dominated by the Barzani family.
Number of deputies in the Iraqi assembly: 31
Number of deputies in the KRI parliament: 39

The “Patriotic Union of Kurdistan” (PUK) is one of the two main Kurdish political parties in Iraq. Founded in 1975, the PUK is particularly well established in southern KRI, has played a crucial role in Kurdish politics, and has a deep history of both political and military involvement in the Kurdish struggle for autonomy and self-determination.
Number of deputies in the Iraqi assembly: 17
Number of deputies in the KRI parliament: 23

Apart from this tribal divide, the PUK has a socialist background and leans more to the left, while the KDP takes a more conservative approach.

The “New Generation Movement” is a Kurdish liberal opposition party founded in 2017 by Iraqi businessman Şaswar Abdulwehîd. The movement emerged as a political response to the dissatisfaction with the traditional Kurdish political establishment, particularly the dominance of the KDP and the PUK. It is advocating for political reform, transparency, democracy, and anti-corruption in KRI.
Number of deputies in the Iraqi assembly: 9
Number of deputies in the KRI parliament: 15

The “Kurdistan Islamic Union” (KIU) is a political party affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, founded in 1994 and led by Salahaddin Bahaaddin. It maintains good relations with both the KDP and the PUK.
Number of deputies in the KRI parliament: 7

The “Peshmerga Forces” are the military forces of the KRI.


Key political figures

The Barzani and Talabani families/tribes are historically the most influential families in Iraqi Kurdistan. Between 1992 and 2005, the KRI was led in the north by Masoud Barzani (KDU) and in the south by Jalal Talabani (PUK).

Main political figures in the Barzani family:
    • Mustafa Barzani (1903-1979) was one of the leading contemporary Kurdish political figures. He has headed the KDP from 1946, leading the Kurdish revolt;
    • Masoud Barzani (1946-), son of Mustafa Barzani, is leading the KDP since 1979 and was the first president of the KRI from 2005 to 2017;
    • Nechirvan Barzani (1966-), grandson of Mustafa Barzani, has been the KRI's second president since 2019;
    • Masrour Barzani (1969-), grandson of Mustafa Barzani, is the current Prime Minister of the KRI.

Main political figures in the Talabani family:
    • Jalal Talabani (1933-2017), was the PUK leader from 1975 to 2017 and the 6th President of Iraq from 2005 to 2014. He made a special effort to reconcile internal Kurdish divisions and has played a balancing role in Iraqi politics;
    • Bafel Talabani (1973-), son of Jalal Talabani, has been PUK leader since 2020;
    • Qubad Talabani (1977-), son of Jalal Talabani, has been Deputy Prime Minister of the KRI since 2014.

Presidents of Iraq since Jalal Talabani (2014):
    • Fuad Masum (1938-), PUK member, 7th president of Iraq from 2014 to 2018;
    • Braham Salih (1960-), PUK member, Iraq's 8th president from 2018 to 2022;
    • Abduel Latif Rashid (1944-), PUK member, 9th president of Iraq since 2022. He is married to Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, sister of Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, former first lady and wife of Jalal Talabani.

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