Will Parliament declare its failure to elect a president? The Kurdish deadlock raises the stakes.
Will Parliament declare its failure to elect a president? The Kurdish deadlock raises the stakes.
2-8-2026
The political process in Iraq is entering one of its most sensitive and complex phases in years, with the continued inability to elect a president and the expiration of constitutional deadlines. This deep political deadlock, centered on Kurdish-Kurdish disputes, has made securing the two-thirds quorum required for a parliamentary session virtually impossible, opening the door to unprecedented scenarios, most notably the dissolution of parliament and the holding of new early elections.
For weeks, parliament has been almost completely paralyzed due to the inability of political blocs to reach an agreement. The presidency has become more of a political bargaining chip than a constitutional entitlement, amid growing fears that this continued paralysis could lead the country into a complex constitutional crisis that transcends traditional disputes.
Political indicators suggest that the core of the crisis lies in the escalating conflict between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), with each party clinging to its own candidate for the presidency and refusing to make any concessions that could be interpreted as a political loss within the Kurdish political sphere. This conflict, rooted in the power struggles within the Kurdistan Region, has directly impacted the federal political landscape, paralyzing one of the most crucial pillars of the constitutional system.
Despite significant pressure exerted by the Coordination Framework forces and several other political blocs, and repeated mediation attempts to bridge the gap between the two parties, a dialogue remains elusive, amidst escalating media and political rhetoric. This indicates that the crisis has transcended a mere disagreement over the candidate’s name, transforming into a power struggle.
In this context, the Coordination Framework does not conceal its concern about the continued deadlock, considering that the obstruction of the presidential election negatively impacts the entire political process, delays the formation of the government and the completion of state institutions, and directly affects citizens’ interests amidst complex economic and service-related conditions.
Political sources confirm that the Framework now views the crisis as a threat to political stability, not merely a passing disagreement that can be quickly resolved.
As the crisis deepens, political circles have begun to increasingly discuss scenarios for the next phase, amidst the absence of any serious indications of an imminent agreement.
Observers believe that the current situation may be heading towards one of two unpalatable paths. The first is internationalization, through the intervention of regional or international actors to impose a political settlement that ends the Kurdish dispute and revives the political process. This option raises widespread fears of undermining political sovereignty and reproducing foreign tutelage.
The second path is a constitutional solution through dissolving the parliament and holding early elections, considered a last resort to end the ongoing failure to adhere to constitutional timelines.
Amid these developments, Mukhtar al-Moussawi, a member of parliament from the Badr parliamentary bloc, confirmed the growing discontent among both parliamentarians and the public due to the continued deadlock in electing a president. He held the two Kurdish parties directly responsible for obstructing the constitutional process.
In a statement to the Al-Maalomah news agency, al-Moussawi said that the ongoing disputes between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have become a major obstacle to fulfilling constitutional requirements, generating frustration among the Iraqi public and within parliament alike.
He added that political forces and the State of Law Coalition are required to reach a final solution to the crisis within a short timeframe not exceeding one week. He warned that continued deadlock and failure to reach an agreement would make dissolving parliament a strong possibility, as a necessary solution to end the paralysis and the expiration of constitutional deadlines.
In contrast, Wafa Muhammad, a member of the KDP, acknowledged the continued depth of the disagreements among Kurdish forces, admitting that these divisions have hindered the resolution of the issues of forming the Kurdistan Regional Government and the presidency. Mohammed stated in a televised interview, monitored by the Al-Maalomah news agency, that the Kurdish political scene remains burdened by internal disputes that have prevented reaching final agreements regarding upcoming constitutional entitlements.
He pointed out that the formation of the regional government has not yet been resolved due to conflicting visions among the main parties, noting at the same time that the presidency of the republic remains vacant, awaiting comprehensive political agreements that could end the current deadlock. He explained that the continuation of these disputes not only affects the Kurdish arena but also directly impacts the stability of the overall political landscape in the country.
Amidst escalating political pressures, growing public discontent, and eroding trust in the political process, Parliament faces a critical test. Either last-minute efforts will succeed in resolving the Kurdish impasse and salvaging what remains of constitutional entitlements, or Iraq will enter a new phase of political turmoil, potentially beginning with the dissolution of Parliament, with no clear end in sight.
almaalomah.me
