Kurdistan Regional Government:

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) was formed in 1992 by the Kurdistan National Assembly, the first democratically elected parliament in Kurdistan (and in Iraq) following the no-fly zone designed to protect the Kurdistan Region from the violence of Iraq’s former Ba’ath regime.

 

The democratically elected Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) exercises executive power according to the Kurdistan Region’s laws, as enacted by the Kurdistan Parliament.

 

The KRG developed experience and expertise throughout successive cabinets, especially after the fall of the former regime in 2003. In 2006, two separate KRG cabinets unified to form the 5th Cabinet, led by current Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. The 5th Cabinet embarked upon a number of unprecedented projects and policies that were not possible in previous years.These included the construction of international airports, a proactive oil and gas policy, reconstruction of the Region’s infrastructure, the promotion of relations with members of the international community, and greater funding for social and economic projects within the Region. 

 

The 6th Cabinet, led by Dr. Barham Salih, built upon the successes of the 5th Cabinet, promoting a number of important domestic issues related to housing, higher education, and government transparency. The 7th Cabinet has achieved some key strategic successes, none more important than developments in the field of oil and gas and a rapid influx of foreign investment.

 

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s eighth cabinet is a government of national unity. All of the major political parties have joined the broad-based coalition, which is designed to reflect the rich political diversity of the Kurdistan Region and to represent and serve the public. The current government, led by Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani. His Deputy is Mr Qubad Jalal Talabani.

 

The political, economic, and cultural views of the many parties participating in the government are expected to generate new ideas and healthy domestic debate. At the same time, the cabinet will speak with one voice on issues of strategic concern for the KRG, such as relations with Baghdad and the international community.

 

This is a time of great historical significance for the people of Kurdistan, and the national unity government is prepared to meet any challenges that lie ahead and to deliver for its citizens.

 

The KRG is based in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, and it currently administers the governorates of Erbil, Suleimaniah, Duhok, and Halabja.

 

 

Kurdistan Region Presidency:

The Kurdistan Parliament established the Kurdistan Region Presidency (KRP) as an institution in 2005.

 

The President of the Kurdistan Region has the highest executive authority, and is elected by secret ballot in a popular vote every four years.

 

Mr Masoud Barzani, the current president, was elected as the Kurdistan Region’s first president on 31 January 2005 by the Kurdistan Parliament, and re-elected by the people of the Kurdistan Region in July 2009, with 70% of the vote.

 

The Deputy President is Mr Kosrat Rasul Ali. The President’s secretariat, the Diwan, is headed by Chief of Staff Dr. Fuad Hussein. The term of the current presidency was extended in 2013 by parliamentary decree.

 

The President represents the people of Kurdistan at national and international levels and oversees relations and coordination between the Region and the Iraqi federal authorities. He also represents the people of Kurdistan at Iraq’s Political Council for National Security, and in negotiations and consultations with the government of Iraq.

 

The President is responsible for approving the KRG Prime Minister’s special appointments and promotions, and for ratifying all laws passed by the Kurdistan Parliament. He has the power to return any law passed by the Parliament, once only, for further debate and amendment.

 

 

The Kurdistan Parliament:

he Kurdistan National Assembly was established in 1992, in the first free and fair elections ever held in the Kurdistan Region or in any part of Iraq.

 

To protect civilians from attacks by Iraqi military forces following the 1991 Gulf War, the US, UK and France initiated a no-fly zone above the 36th line of latitude which cuts across Kurdistan. On the ground, a security zone was established by military forces from eleven countries. These no-fly and security zones strongly supported and encouraged the return of refugees, including those who had left in the 1970s.

 

Later in 1991, Saddam Hussein withdrew his forces and his administration from parts of the Kurdistan Region. Compounding the hardship caused by an international UN embargo on Iraq, Saddam Hussein enforced an additional internal embargo on the region that stopped food and fuel supplies, disconnected electrical power and prevented the movement of people to other parts of the country.

 

Faced with the administrative vacuum and double embargo, the Kurdistan Front, an alliance of diverse political groups in the Kurdistan Region, decided to hold a general election. Their goal was to establish an administration to provide for essential public services and to meet the basic needs of the people. The population also expressed a strong desire to choose its representatives. The election, held on 19 May 1992, was the first free and fair parliamentary election in the history of Iraq. A minimum seven percent threshold was set for representation in the parliament. Voter turnout was very high and the elections were deemed to be free, fair, and democratic by international observers. After decades of dictatorship, the people in Kurdistan were able to vote for their representatives for the first time in their history.

 

This regional election led to the formation of the first Kurdistan National Assembly and the establishment of the Kurdistan Regional Government. The leadership and the people of the Kurdistan Region decided to adopt and abide by all Iraqi laws except for those that violated human and universal rights. By 15 July 1992, the Kurdistan National Assembly had convened. Law No. 1, the first law passed by the assembly, established the Assembly as the Region’s legislature.

 

To date there have been four region-wide parliaments, following elections in 1992, 2005, 2009, and 2013. In 2009 the Kurdistan National Assembly was renamed the Kurdistan Parliament.

 

 

Parliamentary Elections:

Elections for the Kurdistan Parliament are held at least every four calendar years, (as stipulated in Article 8 of the Kurdistan Electoral Law). The last parliamentary elections were held on 21 September 2013. Anyone aged 18 or over who is a citizen of the Kurdistan Region and is on the electoral register is eligible to vote in a direct, universal and secret ballot.

 

 

Powers of the Parliament [1]:

As provided in the federal constitution of Iraq, parliament has considerable power to debate and legislate on policy in a wide range of areas: health services, education and training, policing and security, the environment, natural resources, agriculture, housing, trade, industry and investment, social services and social affairs, transport and roads, culture and tourism, sport and leisure, and ancient monuments and historic buildings.

 

The Kurdistan Parliament shares legislative power with the federal authorities in the following areas, but priority is given to the Kurdistan Parliament’s laws: customs, electric energy and its distribution, general planning, internal water resources.

In addition, under Article 121 of the Iraqi federal constitution the Kurdistan Parliament has the right to amend the application of Iraq-wide legislation that falls outside of the federal authorities’ exclusive powers.

 

 

Members of the Kurdistan Parliament:

 

The 111 MPs in the Kurdistan Parliament represent the following political lists and parties:

 

• Kurdistan Democratic Party: 38 seats

• Change List: 24 seats

• Patriotic Union of Kurdistan: 18 seats

• Islamic Union of Kurdistan: 10 seats

• Islamic Brotherhood of Kurdistan: 6 seats

• Islamic Movement: 1 seat

• Communist Party (Freedom List): 1 seat

• Kurdistan Communist Party: 1 seat

 

Parliamentary seats reserved for minority groups:

 

• Turkoman Development List: 2 seats

• Erbil Turkoman List: 1 seat

• Turkoman Change and Reform List: 1 seat

• Turkoman Movement List: 1 seat

• Al-Rafidain List: 2 seats

• Chaldean-Assyrian-Syriac Council: 2 seats

• Abna Al-Rafidain List: 1 seat

• Barwan Isan Mergoz Batros: 1 seat

 

 

Committees of the Kurdistan Parliament:

The Kurdistan Parliament has a number of standing committees that work on the following areas:

 

Legal affairs

Agriculture and irrigation

Finance and economic affairs

Health and environment

Construction, housing and rural development

Endowments and religious affairs

Human rights

Municipalities, transport, communication and tourism

Civil society affairs

Youth and sports 

Interior, security and provincial councils

General and higher education and scientific research

Women’s rights

Family, children and social affairs

Relations, culture, media and heritage

Peshmarga, martyrs, and Anfal victims’ affairs

Industry, energy and natural resources

Protection workers’ rights

Integrity

Parliament affairs     

Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution

 

[1] These powers are granted by the federal constitution of Iraq in articles 114, 115, 117, 120, 121, 126 and 141.