Kurdistan Regional Government
Encyclopedia
The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), (Kurdish
: حکومەتی هەرێمی کوردستان, Hikûmetî Herêmî Kurdistan, Arabic
: حكومة إقليم كردستان, Hukũmah Iqlīm Kūrdistān), is the official ruling body of the predominantly Kurds-populated Kurdistan Region
in Northern Iraq. The KRG consists of a unicameral parliament with 111 seats known as the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament (IKP).
The cabinet is selected by the majority party or list who also select the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region. The president of Kurdistan Region is directly elected by the electorate of the region and is the head of the cabinet and chief of state who delegates executive powers to the cabinet. The prime minister is traditionally the head of the legislature body but also shares executive powers with the president. The president of Kurdistan Region is also the commander-in-chief of the Peshmerga Armed Forces
. Parliament creates and passes laws by a majority vote, and the president has the power to veto any bill.
, officially declared the capital of the Region. The KRG parliament, or the Iraqi- Kurdistan Parliament (KP-I), is elected by popular vote. Voters are given one vote and may choose a single party from the list. The cabinet is selected by the majority party or parties. The majority party or coalition appoints and negotiates terms for the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region. The president of the Kurdistan Region is directly elected by the citizens of the region.
Currently, the cabinet is composed of the largest two governing parties, the KDP and the PUK
and their allies.
. The election resulted in a narrow victory for the KDP, which with 45% of the vote gained 51 seats while the PUK
with 44% of the vote gained 49 seats. However due to allegations of election fraud they divided the seats 50-50 and created a unity government. The government however collapsed and resulted in a civil war breaking out in 1994. The last parliamentary meeting was held in 1996. It resulted in the creation of two Kurdish states, a PUK
-controlled state based in Silemani and a KDP-controlled state based in Hewler, both recognised themselves as legitimate rulers of Kurdistan.
The primary goal of the 2005 elections was to end party-rule in the Iraqi Kurdistan
and unify the two major parties - the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
(PUK) - who fought a civil war in the mid-1990s over territorial disputes and control of the Kurdistan Region
. Previously, the region was divided up by administrative provinces that were under control of either the KDP or the PUK
. In 2004, the two parties created one unified list or coalition called the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan
, which included several smaller parties as well. Not surprisingly, the coalition received the majority of votes (an overwhelming 90%) allowing the KDP and PUK
to effectively divide key positions in government. The coalition achieved 104 of the 111 seats in parliament.
In June, the IKP held its first official meeting with Massoud Barzani
as the elected president. After six long months, the IKP finally agreed on administration positions. In 2006, the government was selected with Nechervan Idris Barzani
as prime minister. The parties also negotiated terms for the prime minister. Nechervan Barzani, who is a member of the KDP, was expected to serve two years and would be replaced with a PUK
candidate in 2008.
Governorate elections were held in Iraq
, in 2005, including in the three Kurdish
provinces. The elections resulted in a KDP victory in Hewler and Duhok with PUK
a victory in Silemani. In total the PUK
won the most votes during in these 3 provinces together with a total of 765,544 votes (43.4%) however they won only 48 seats while the KDP with 741,483 votes (42%) won 62 seats. Other parties won only 4 seats in Kurdish provinces. Kurdish
parties also won majorities in Ninawa and Kirkuk.
The latest parliamentary elections were held on 25 July 2009. Kurdistan List, a joint list of KDP and PUK
, won the largest share of seats and was tasked to form the next government. Major opposition parties include Change List and Reform List with 25 and 13 seats respectively. The new prime minister, Barham Salih
of PUK
, assumed office on 28 October 2009. Minority Turkmen have five seats and Christians (Chaldeans and Armenians) are represented with four seats. The new KRG government has 19 ministries.
In 2005, Massoud Barzani
was elected as President of Iraqi Kurdistan
by the parliament. In 2009, the KRG decided that the president would no longer be selected by parliament, and instead, direct elections would take place. In the 2009 elections, President Barzani
ran for reelection and faced a host of candidates running against him including Halow Ibrahim Ahmed, Kamal Mirawdily, Ahmed Mohammed Rasul and Hussein Garmiyani. The election was a landslide victory for Barzani
as he won approximately 70% of the votes. Kemal Mirawdily came in second with 25%.
. As stipulated by the Iraqi constitution, Iraq will be divided into federal regions that will handle their own domestic affairs while the Baghdad
central government will deal with international affairs. The single most controversial issue regarding federalism is oil. The KRG under Nechervan Barzani has signed several oil contracts with foreign states, including companies in the United States and China. While the KRG asserts that such contracts are legal under Iraqi law and the constitution, many disputes remain.
The main Kurdish parties and Peshmerga
cooperated with the US-led coalition during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
that led to Saddam Hussein
's overthrow. Kurdish
politicians were represented in the Iraqi governing council
. On January 30, 2005 three elections were held in the region: 1) for Transitional National Assembly of Iraq 2) for Iraqi Kurdistan National Assembly and 3) for provincial councils. The Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period
recognized the autonomy of the Kurdistan Regional Government during the interim between "full sovereignty" and the adoption
of a permanent constitution
.
The Kurdistan Regional Government currently has constitutionally recognised authority over the provinces of Erbil, Duhok, and Silemani, as well as de facto authority over parts of Diyala and Ninawa
and Kirkuk (at-Ta'mim) provinces.
One particularly difficult issue yet to be resolved is the future boundaries of the region. Many Kurds wish it to be expanded to include the largely Kurdish
cities of Mosul
and Kirkuk
, but this is complicated by the Assyrian
, Turkmen
and Arab
populations of both cities and the opposition of Turkey
, which is concerned about the region's potential to break away from Iraq
(with possible consequences for its own Kurdish minority
). The final boundaries of the autonomous region are set to be decided through a number of referendums which were scheduled to be held before the end of 2007 as stipulated in the Iraqi constitution. However, the preparations needed for such a referendum to take place have not been made by the Iraqi central government, and the promised referendums have been postponed for up to six months.
In the wake of the ratification
of the Iraqi constitution
in October 2005, Iraqi Kurdistan
reconstituted itself as a federal region under the new constitutional framework. Kirkuk's status with respect to the federal region should, under that framework, be decided by a simple majority vote in the provinces.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has inaugurated a movement to distinguish itself from the rest of Iraq
, entitled "Kurdistan - The Other Iraq
", in a bid to attract investors by showing its security and economic progress amidst the Iraqi War.
The Iraqi Kurdistan
region has recently established a sister-state relationship with the US State of Oregon
.
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
: حکومەتی هەرێمی کوردستان, Hikûmetî Herêmî Kurdistan, Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: حكومة إقليم كردستان, Hukũmah Iqlīm Kūrdistān), is the official ruling body of the predominantly Kurds-populated Kurdistan Region
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
in Northern Iraq. The KRG consists of a unicameral parliament with 111 seats known as the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament (IKP).
The cabinet is selected by the majority party or list who also select the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region. The president of Kurdistan Region is directly elected by the electorate of the region and is the head of the cabinet and chief of state who delegates executive powers to the cabinet. The prime minister is traditionally the head of the legislature body but also shares executive powers with the president. The president of Kurdistan Region is also the commander-in-chief of the Peshmerga Armed Forces
Peshmerga
Peshmerga or Peshmerge is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been in existence since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman...
. Parliament creates and passes laws by a majority vote, and the president has the power to veto any bill.
Election process
Since 1992, the governing bodies have been primarily based in ErbilArbil
Arbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
, officially declared the capital of the Region. The KRG parliament, or the Iraqi- Kurdistan Parliament (KP-I), is elected by popular vote. Voters are given one vote and may choose a single party from the list. The cabinet is selected by the majority party or parties. The majority party or coalition appoints and negotiates terms for the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region. The president of the Kurdistan Region is directly elected by the citizens of the region.
Currently, the cabinet is composed of the largest two governing parties, the KDP and the PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
and their allies.
1992 Elections
On May 19, 1992, 6 months after Kurds had gained their freedom, the first elections were held. Due to the 7% threshold the only parties which had a chance of winning seats in parliament were the KDP and the PUKPatriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
. The election resulted in a narrow victory for the KDP, which with 45% of the vote gained 51 seats while the PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
with 44% of the vote gained 49 seats. However due to allegations of election fraud they divided the seats 50-50 and created a unity government. The government however collapsed and resulted in a civil war breaking out in 1994. The last parliamentary meeting was held in 1996. It resulted in the creation of two Kurdish states, a PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
-controlled state based in Silemani and a KDP-controlled state based in Hewler, both recognised themselves as legitimate rulers of Kurdistan.
The primary goal of the 2005 elections was to end party-rule in the Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
and unify the two major parties - the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
(PUK) - who fought a civil war in the mid-1990s over territorial disputes and control of the Kurdistan Region
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
. Previously, the region was divided up by administrative provinces that were under control of either the KDP or the PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
. In 2004, the two parties created one unified list or coalition called the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan
Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan
The Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan sometimes referred to simply as the Kurdistan Alliance is the name of the electoral coalition first presented as a united Kurdish list in the January 2005 election in Iraq. Elections were held simultaneously for the assembly of the Kurdistan Regional...
, which included several smaller parties as well. Not surprisingly, the coalition received the majority of votes (an overwhelming 90%) allowing the KDP and PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
to effectively divide key positions in government. The coalition achieved 104 of the 111 seats in parliament.
In June, the IKP held its first official meeting with Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
as the elected president. After six long months, the IKP finally agreed on administration positions. In 2006, the government was selected with Nechervan Idris Barzani
Nechervan Idris Barzani
Nechirvan Idris Barzani , or ) is a Kurdish politician in Iraqi Kurdistan. He served as the prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government from March 2006 to August 2009...
as prime minister. The parties also negotiated terms for the prime minister. Nechervan Barzani, who is a member of the KDP, was expected to serve two years and would be replaced with a PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
candidate in 2008.
Governorate elections were held in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, in 2005, including in the three Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
provinces. The elections resulted in a KDP victory in Hewler and Duhok with PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
a victory in Silemani. In total the PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
won the most votes during in these 3 provinces together with a total of 765,544 votes (43.4%) however they won only 48 seats while the KDP with 741,483 votes (42%) won 62 seats. Other parties won only 4 seats in Kurdish provinces. Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
parties also won majorities in Ninawa and Kirkuk.
2009 Elections
The latest parliamentary elections were held on 25 July 2009. Kurdistan List, a joint list of KDP and PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
, won the largest share of seats and was tasked to form the next government. Major opposition parties include Change List and Reform List with 25 and 13 seats respectively. The new prime minister, Barham Salih
Barham Salih
Barham Ahmad Salih is an Iraqi Kurdish politician. He is currently the prime minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. He is married and has a daughter who attended Princeton University and a son who graduated from King's Academy in Madaba, Jordan and currently attends Columbia.-Early life:Dr....
of PUK
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan is a Kurdish political party in Iraqi Kurdistan. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan was founded on June 1, 1975, by coordinations between Jalal Talabani and Nawshirwan Mustafa...
, assumed office on 28 October 2009. Minority Turkmen have five seats and Christians (Chaldeans and Armenians) are represented with four seats. The new KRG government has 19 ministries.
In 2005, Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
was elected as President of Iraqi Kurdistan
President of Iraqi Kurdistan
The President of Iraqi Kurdistan is the head of the Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. He is part of the Kurdistan Presidency Council.-1992-2005:...
by the parliament. In 2009, the KRG decided that the president would no longer be selected by parliament, and instead, direct elections would take place. In the 2009 elections, President Barzani
Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
ran for reelection and faced a host of candidates running against him including Halow Ibrahim Ahmed, Kamal Mirawdily, Ahmed Mohammed Rasul and Hussein Garmiyani. The election was a landslide victory for Barzani
Massoud Barzani
Massoud Barzani is the current President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Barzani was born in Mahabad, Iran, during the rule of the Republic of Mahabad...
as he won approximately 70% of the votes. Kemal Mirawdily came in second with 25%.
Role in Iraq
The KRG has assumed the role of a government in a federal region of IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. As stipulated by the Iraqi constitution, Iraq will be divided into federal regions that will handle their own domestic affairs while the Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
central government will deal with international affairs. The single most controversial issue regarding federalism is oil. The KRG under Nechervan Barzani has signed several oil contracts with foreign states, including companies in the United States and China. While the KRG asserts that such contracts are legal under Iraqi law and the constitution, many disputes remain.
The main Kurdish parties and Peshmerga
Peshmerga
Peshmerga or Peshmerge is the term used by Kurds to refer to armed Kurdish fighters. Literally meaning "those who face death" the Peshmerga forces of Kurdistan have been in existence since the advent of the Kurdish independence movement in the early 1920s, following the collapse of the Ottoman...
cooperated with the US-led coalition during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
that led to Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's overthrow. Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
politicians were represented in the Iraqi governing council
Iraqi Governing Council
The Iraqi Governing Council was the provisional government of Iraq from July 13, 2003 to June 1, 2004. It was established by and served under the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority...
. On January 30, 2005 three elections were held in the region: 1) for Transitional National Assembly of Iraq 2) for Iraqi Kurdistan National Assembly and 3) for provincial councils. The Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period
Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period
The Law of Administration for the State of Iraq for the Transitional Period , was Iraq's provisional constitution following the 2003 Iraq War. It was signed on March 8, 2004 by the Iraqi Governing Council...
recognized the autonomy of the Kurdistan Regional Government during the interim between "full sovereignty" and the adoption
Iraqi constitution ratification vote, 2005
The electorate of Iraq went to the polls on 15 October 2005 to vote in a referendum on whether or not to ratify the proposed constitution of Iraq. After 10 days of counting votes, the country's electoral commission announced that the constitution had been approved by a wide margin nationwide...
of a permanent constitution
Constitution of Iraq
The Constitution of Iraq is Iraq's fundamental law.-History:Iraq's first constitution, which established a constitutional monarchy, entered into force under the auspices of a British military occupation in 1925 and remained in effect until the 1958 revolution established a republic...
.
The Kurdistan Regional Government currently has constitutionally recognised authority over the provinces of Erbil, Duhok, and Silemani, as well as de facto authority over parts of Diyala and Ninawa
Ninawa Governorate
Ninawa is a governorate in northern Iraq, and the Arabic name for the biblical city of Nineveh in Assyria. It has an area of and an estimated population of 2,453,000 people in 2003. Its chief city and provincial capital is Mosul, which lies across the Tigris river from the ruins of ancient...
and Kirkuk (at-Ta'mim) provinces.
One particularly difficult issue yet to be resolved is the future boundaries of the region. Many Kurds wish it to be expanded to include the largely Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
cities of Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
and Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
, but this is complicated by the Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
, Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
and Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
populations of both cities and the opposition of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, which is concerned about the region's potential to break away from Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
(with possible consequences for its own Kurdish minority
Turkish Kurdistan
Turkish Kurdistan is an unofficial name for the southeastern part of Turkey, which is inhabited predominantly by ethnic Kurds. The area covers between 190,000 to 230,000 km² , or nearly a third of Turkey...
). The final boundaries of the autonomous region are set to be decided through a number of referendums which were scheduled to be held before the end of 2007 as stipulated in the Iraqi constitution. However, the preparations needed for such a referendum to take place have not been made by the Iraqi central government, and the promised referendums have been postponed for up to six months.
In the wake of the ratification
Iraqi constitution ratification vote, 2005
The electorate of Iraq went to the polls on 15 October 2005 to vote in a referendum on whether or not to ratify the proposed constitution of Iraq. After 10 days of counting votes, the country's electoral commission announced that the constitution had been approved by a wide margin nationwide...
of the Iraqi constitution
Constitution of Iraq
The Constitution of Iraq is Iraq's fundamental law.-History:Iraq's first constitution, which established a constitutional monarchy, entered into force under the auspices of a British military occupation in 1925 and remained in effect until the 1958 revolution established a republic...
in October 2005, Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
reconstituted itself as a federal region under the new constitutional framework. Kirkuk's status with respect to the federal region should, under that framework, be decided by a simple majority vote in the provinces.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has inaugurated a movement to distinguish itself from the rest of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, entitled "Kurdistan - The Other Iraq
The Other Iraq
The Other Iraq is an advertising campaign created to promote commerce in the Kurdish region of Iraq. It is run by the Kurdistan Development Corporation to promote investment and trade.-"Thank you" ads:...
", in a bid to attract investors by showing its security and economic progress amidst the Iraqi War.
The Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan
Iraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
region has recently established a sister-state relationship with the US State of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.