Kirkuk dilemma: Components seek federal solution to power-sharing dispute

Shafaq News/ Eight months after Kirkuk's governorate elections, the council still hasn't formed a local government due to political disputes.

Arabs and Turkmen want to rotate positions, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) demands the governor's post for the Kurds.

Iraqi political circles are watching for new negotiations to end the deadlock. The competition for the governor's post between Arab and Kurdish factions is intense. The Arab bloc plans to meet in Baghdad this evening to unify their stance.

Dozens of senior administrative roles in Kirkuk need to be redistributed among the governorate's groups. Currently, most of these positions are filled on an acting basis, including the governorate council chair, deputy chair, governor, as well as district and sub-district administrators.

Kirkuk held its first elections since 2005 on December 18, 2023. Kurds won eight seats, Arabs six, and the Iraqi Turkmen Front two. This equal seat distribution (8-8) has made it impossible for any group to form the local government.

Arab bloc meeting in Baghdad

Raad Saleh, a member of Kirkuk's Governorate Council, told Shafaq News Agency that the Arab group meeting last Sunday in Baghdad with key political leaders aimed to unify their stance on the Kirkuk crisis.

"This agreement will be crucial for forming Kirkuk's administration and council," he told Shafaq News Agency, dismissing any claims of existing deals on the governor or council chair positions as mere speculation.

Saleh highlighted the importance of the Iraqi Prime Minister's dialogue rounds in bridging differences and reaching a political agreement.

"The Arab council members support rotating positions among the different groups, a view shared by the Turkmens and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). However, the PUK insists on the governor's post," he said.

Saleh also refuted rumors that the PUK was nearing a deal with a winning Turkmen member, stating that Kirkuk's local government would be based on consensus and include all groups.

"The Arabs in Kirkuk support rotating the governor's position and presenting an acceptable candidate from our side and other groups," Saleh said.

It was expected that in Sunday's meeting, the Arabs would finalize a position paper to present at the next meeting under Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani's auspices. However, nothing was announced.

PUK Claims Governorship As Kurdish Right

Barwin Fateh, also a member of Kirkuk's Governorate Council, told Shafaq News Agency that the PUK is actively working to resolve the formation of Kirkuk's local government.

"The governorship is an electoral right for the Kurds, and the PUK candidate should take the position as we won the most votes. It is our constitutional and electoral right," she said.

Fateh noted that the PUK supports power-sharing and the inclusion of all groups, highlighting that the late President Jalal Talabani promoted shared administration in Kirkuk. She believes ongoing discussions will lead to solutions that satisfy all parties.

"Kirkuk urgently needs to form its local government and provide the best services to all its communities without discrimination," Fateh added.

Turkmen Stance On Kirkuk Administration

Ahmed Ramzi, another member of Kirkuk's Governorate Council, told Shafaq News Agency that the Turkmen position on Kirkuk's administration is clear: no single group should form the local administration or name a candidate without approval from all political blocs.

"There has been no agreement among the political blocs representing Arabs, Kurds, Turkmens, and Christians," he said.

Ramzi hopes that a decisive round of talks, led by the prime minister, will result in a political agreement to nominate candidates for the governor and governorate council head, as well as other key positions.

"The upcoming fourth session will be crucial in reaching an agreement that satisfies all parties and helps form Kirkuk's administration. It will also convene the provincial council to elect its head and open nominations for the governor," Ramzi added, stressing that a stable administration in Kirkuk is vital for maintaining the rights of all communities and ensuring continued projects and services.

He suggested that the Turkmens could be a compromise candidate for governor, with administrative power shared among the winning blocs as part of an agreement to rotate positions for the remainder of the term.

Kirkuk Power Struggle Linked To Parliamentary Seat

Ali Khalil, a Kirkuk political expert, dismissed the idea of an agreement between the PUK and Turkmen to exclude Arabs, the KDP, and the Turkmen Front.

"These are unrealistic speculations," he told Shafaq News Agency.

Khalil stressed that forming Kirkuk's administration, including the governor and council head, requires the approval of all winning factions.

He noted that resolving Kirkuk's administration is tied to the parliamentary speaker crisis and Kurdistan Region elections but might be settled sooner.

Proposals include having Arabs take the governorship, the PUK the council head, and a Turkmen as deputy governor. Another suggestion is rotating the governorship between Kurds and Arabs every two years, with the council head rotating among the groups.

KDP seeks inclusive agreement

Hassan Majid, a KDP member of Kirkuk's Council, said Al Sudani is mediating among the factions to reach a consensus on the governorship and power-sharing.

"The KDP bloc is working with others to overcome differences and form a strong local government that serves all residents without discrimination," he told Shafaq News Agency.

Notably, Kirkuk's complexity stems from Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution, which previous governments have not addressed. Kurds see Kirkuk as part of Kurdistan, Turkmen view it as Turkmen and want to keep it federal, and Arabs consider it inherently Iraqi, reflecting its ethnic and religious diversity.