Iraqi local elections raise concerns for Kurdish identity in disputed areas

Shafaq News / Former Minister for Disputed Areas in the Kurdistan Region (KRI), Mohammed Ihsan, stated that the results of the Iraqi provincial council elections signal a "significant threat" to the Kurdish identity in Kirkuk, Nineveh, and other disputed areas covered by Article 140 of the country's constitution.

Speaking to Voice of America's Kurdish department, Ihsan emphasized, "Kurdish parties must immediately investigate the reasons for the decline in Kurdish voters, or else the Kurds will face a miserable failure in the upcoming Iraqi elections."

He added that "the disunity among Kurdish parties has severely damaged the Kurdish position, and they urgently need to reconsider their approach in these regions, as relying solely on national motivation will not yield results."

Iraq recently held elections for provincial councils, marking the first local elections since 2013 after a decade-long hiatus.

Furthermore, Article 140 calls for reversing demographic policies imposed by Saddam Hussein's regime in disputed areas favoring Arabs over Kurds. It mandates a population census before a final step—conducting a referendum for residents to decide whether they wish to join KRI or remain under Baghdad's administration.

The implementation of Article 140 was initially planned to conclude by the end of 2007, but security and political issues hindered its progress.

The Federal Supreme Court ruled in 2019 to uphold the validity of Article 140 in the Iraqi Constitution, affirming its continuation until its requirements are fulfilled and its goal achieved.