CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VOLUME VI (1) Contemporary-Eurasia-VI-1-engl | Page 28

CONTEMPORARY EURASIA VI (1)
MUSHEGH GHAHRIYAN
POLITICAL CRISIS IN IRAQI KURDISTAN, 2013-2017
Abstract
Iraqi Kurdistan faces harsh political and economic problems because of
the unstable situtation in the Middle East and within the autonomy. The
aim of the paper is the study of the political crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan and
the political transformations the Kurdish region undergoes in recent
years. It explores the developments in Iraqi Kurdistan since 2013-2014 as
well as regional situation and its influence on the Kurdish autonomy. The
article concludes that the crisis of legitimacy and undiversified economy
are major problems for the Kurdistan Region and undermine its stability.
Both were not solved by the end of 2017. Another significant point is the
end of the era of long-time charismatic leaders in the Kurdish region of
Iraq.
Keywords: Iraqi Kurdistan, Barzani, oil, crisis, presidency
Introduction
Since 2014, when the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL)
conquered broad areas in Iraq and Syria, the Kurdistan Region in Iraq
has become a key player on regional chessboard. In addition to
political and other problems within Iraqi Kurdistan and complicated
relations with the authorities of Iraq, the Kurdistan region has entered
a phase of political turbulence. The aim of this article is the study of
the political crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan and the political transformations
the Kurdish region underwent during the last three years. Now, while
the focus is on the independence referendum, which was held on 25
September, 2017, and the reactions of neighboring and other
countries, it is important to understand the internal processes in Iraqi
Kurdistan.
Political crisis
One of the reasons of political crisis is the issue of the presidency
of the Kurdistan Region and competition of political parties behind it.
This issue remained unsolved until the end of 2017 and moreover,
paralyzed the work of the parliament. Political crisis is accompanied
with a financial crisis as low oil price reduced financial inflow into
28