Thursday 30 Apr 2026 @ 12:20
Chatham House
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Political deadlock has left Iraq’s Kurdistan Region dangerously exposed amid Iran war

EXPERT COMMENT

The stalemate over government formation is affecting the semi-autonomous region’s ability to deal with the fallout of the Iran war – and eroding its autonomy.

More than 18 months have passed since voters in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq went to the polls in the region’s parliamentary election, but no new regional government has been formed. This deadlock has left the Kurdistan Region dangerously on autopilot as political and economic challenges pile up around it – not least those stemming from the Iran war. 

At the heart of this impasse is disunity between the two main parties; the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Their rift prevents the Kurdistan Region from adhering to basic democratic governance, dilutes its ability to project influence, and leaves it increasingly irrelevant in the political calculations of other actors. 

If the institutions and political arrangements that undergird the Kurdistan Region as a unified and coherent entity no longer function, it could be heading for a rupture that will only exacerbate the challenges it faces.

Click here to continue reading the full version of this Expert Comment on the Chatham House website.

 

Channel website: https://www.chathamhouse.org/

Original article link: https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/04/political-deadlock-has-left-iraqs-kurdistan-region-dangerously-exposed-amid-iran-war

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