Living Apart Together: Decentralized Governance in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Megan Connelly and Mike Fleet IRIS Report 0 November 2020 Living Apart Together: Decentralized Governance in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq The Institute of Regional and International Studies (IRIS) is a policy research center based at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani (AUIS). Through multidisciplinary research, training programs, and policy forums, IRIS addresses the most complex issues facing Iraq and the Middle East. The Institute is funded through grants from donor institutions and countries. Recently IRIS has partnered with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq, the London School of Economics, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and Chatham House on a variety of programs and research projects. About the Author: Megan Connelly is a Non-Resident Fellow at IRIS. She was also a fellow of the Jaeckle Center for Law, Democracy, and Governance at University at Buffalo. Her current research focuses on the legal history of local governments in the Kurdistan Region and their place within Iraq’s federal framework. She tweets @meganconnelly48 Mike Fleet is a Senior Analyst with the Government of Canada where he focuses on Iraq. He previously worked as a Senior Researcher with the Institute on Governance on the Iraq Team that implemented the Fiscal Decentralization and Resiliency Project. His current research focus is on Iraqi politics, federalism, state-building, and conflict dynamics. He tweets @MikeFleet23 Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors alone and do not reflect the views of their employers, IRIS, or of the Government of Canada. 1 Living Apart Together: Decentralized Governance in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Abstract After the reunification of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in 2005, the region was governed under a power sharing coalition dominated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s (PUK). The parties’ previously separate de facto governments were incorporated into a unitary political system governed on the principle of “decentralization” with the incentive of joint-power and revenue sharing. Decentralization as defined by Kurdistan Region law both legitimized the survival of party-dominated local governments and facilitated compromise through the regulation of these administrations within a highly centralized bureaucracy in which both parties participated. However, political and economic shocks have transformed the principle of decentralization within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) into an instrument of leverage between the KDP and the PUK. As a response to an increasing tendency toward administrative and fiscal centralization under a KDP-dominated KRG, the Sulaymaniyah-based PUK has sought to exert greater control over local governments and revenues. Namely, it has wielded explicit or implied threats of secession from the KRG as an inducement to bargain for autonomy and a greater share of influence and privileges. Policymakers have focused on security sector reform and diplomatic pressure to promote cooperation between the KRI’s political parties, but power-sharing is largely a product of fiscal incentives created by Iraq’s federal system and supported by the KRG’s centralized administrative framework. Disruptions to these structural conditions for consensus now create conflict within the system as both parties renegotiate their financial entitlements and scope of their administrative control through brinksmanship. The parties’ abandonment of consensus can be expected to produce further instability and conflict within the KRI. 2 Living Apart Together: Decentralized Governance in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq ﮫﺘﺧﻮﭘ ی ﻮﺗ (ﮋﯾ ﮫﻨ هو @" íÔ ( a óì m Ùô@ ï $ m íàó óõ@yÙ î$' # Üó@ â@ î$ # ~@èó 2005 ô@ &bÜ % nbç@Üó@ %†# í Ø áô@ î$ # @èó " nóìòñ@yÙíàóm ! 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Ùƒ î$ # @$ ií õ@ $# í.@+ ‹a $ nbäô@Èï %†# @Øí "áî$ # @Üó@èó " ØóŒîóm # àó ) ïrô@ ! ä õ@q‹ò # í i b ÷ @ ïô@ì % ïb %@"Ø$ ã@’í )& @ió iíìçN # ió’‡a @Øó@ $/ @îó؇õN@îóØï #ó% @Üó # “b ( nÙ‹†äô@ %ì# åbì@† $ qï @ ó Ü åæ@ $ †òèï ñ@ # b ióØ mô@ # b q @ ì nô@ $ îóØï @ Øó @ ïô@ % ïb % Ùô@ $ ÷bà‹aŒî ò@ì@†aèbmó@ # @÷ï‡a #ó% ñ@ió $ ô@‚í Ü&ì$ 1ä$ ‹aìaäÙ‹†äô@Øí (@$ ‡aiíìò@ií &ìÜ & ábäô@Üó@èó ï$ %0 bõ@ î$*. # b Üó@q nó@ % †ò )& b i iô@ *y áô@ î$ # @èó " m àó í @yÙ " aî # a @† õ@ì # a ØóŒîÙ‹†äô@÷ï‡ # m‹@àó b nóõ@ió@Œî %a# b @÷ $ †aäóìòîóÛ@ií # Øb @@ìòÛ@ a ä‡ b ïóØ $ uï $ ‚í ò’óõ@ # @èó @÷b’Ù‹a @ì@äb íòñ@÷b’Ù‹a $ @’ï @ió $/ @îóØï ìõ~ îÙ‹a # b @ió@†î nóN % †ò )& b @i a ï‡ $ ï @m "m# nbç@Øó@qb %†# Øí òb@ió’ô@ ìòèb # @ì@èó "à$ äí í$ m$ åbäô@÷í $ néï % @ió†ò í $ i Ú@ $ åbìò@ìòÛ@÷bà‹aŒî $ èï # b â@ióØ î$ # @èó " iíìäóìòõ@Üó@yÙíàóm b uï õ@ # “b ( @ì@ 2 õ@÷óà # Ùnó ï$ % bŒñ@Üó@ ! bØ , Üó@ bç@ m‹@uó‚nï b @Œî ô@ % ïb %@" aä # †ò # b apN@i‹î bŒ m‹@Üó@äÑíŒ@ì@÷ïánï b Œî ‡a@ó@ @Øó a Ù‡ $ mï b â@Üó@Ø î$ # äô@èó b ïóØ % ïb % ió@ * íaç@y $ ó@äï Ü õ@ # îÙb # @qnóìØ‹†äô@èb $ Œ@ií bà‹a móìò@ìòÛ@÷ $ @Ø‹ì %" àb í$ 0 †îj mì @ ‹míìò . bìòîbç@ #, ó% ‹aÔóìò@ $ @Èï Ü&" a&#4 ï‡ (@" ïná !ï% aîïóØbäó@Øó@Üó@ # ò@†a # bä‡ò @è " bà 3 ÷ó # ò † p@ )& ó% èbìió’ïÙ‹†äô@†ò Œñ@ í$ Ü & b ÷ @ ì @ “ó $ njíìäô@Øï %ì# nbçN@† %†# @Øí "áî$ # ØóŒñ@yÙíàómô@èó # àó òñ@ # íòõ@÷ï‡a ï$ , ía , níìç@ió@ % ì@qr“o@ió ñ@ $ í‚í $ @Üóäï "$ ä5á0 õ@à $ nó@èí $ nb†a@†òiï $! @Üó@÷ï +í( åbäô@móìa $ åbì@ió†îéï $ @Üó@qï uó@iíäïbmïbäó†a # Üóã@èóÜíàó @" aî # @÷óìòõ@ió@àbÀ@†a #ó% nbäæ@Üó % ò@†aäí # b îÙô@†ììi # l@‚ó * †ìì@yï # @èó Øó @ a Ù‡ $ bmï % @Üó@ " îjóm b m ió@ @ a náóØó† !ï% Ùb†açN@ $ õ@qï # ía ï $ @Ü b @m äóìò b ‹î . a ï‡ $ óõ@q î$' # îbç@Üó@ # a ô@÷ï‡ &Ü$ì1ä$ í ñ@Ø a † @àóì #ó% @Üó ìòèb # îbäô@†òŒaäæ@ì@èó $ ‚í @îbm@Üó@ m‹@ b ô@Œî $ äï 5á0 @à õ@ì '- à b óÔ % b ä õ@ # Øb $ nó@èí ï $ j i o@ $ @†òØ‹î +í( ì@móìa @ bŒaç % @ ó Ü l@ * †ìì@y # iíìäô@èó # †a # njó % †ò @ N@@@ + ‹a $ nbäô@Èï %†# @Øí "áî$ # ñ@èó $ í‚í $ äï @ 3 Living Apart Together: Decentralized Governance in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq ﻟاﻠﺗﻣﺧﺳص ﻌﺑد ةدﺎﻋإ دﯾﺣوﺗ ﺔﻣوﻛﺣ إ ﻗ ﻠ مﯾ نﺎﺗﺳدروﻛ ﻲﻓ مﺎﻋ ٢٠٠٥ ﺢﺻاﺑ ﻗﻹا ﻠ مﯾ مﻛﺣﯾ نﻣ ﻗ لﺑ ﺔطﻠﺳ ا ﺋ ﻓﻼﺗ ﺔﯾ رطﯾﺳﯾ ﻠﻋ ﺎﮭﯾ ﮭ ﻋرﯾﯾﺔ ﻼ طﺳل ﻣمﺣ ﯾﻠﻗاﺢا ﺎﺋبنرﺑﺣز ﺳﺳﻟاد نزﺗﻣﯾﯾﻛودﻟاﯾﻲﻟار ﺣﺳاﻻ:ﺎوﻲﺎﻟاﻘطﺣر ﺎﺗﻛﺗﻟاودطﻲاﻧر ﺎﻲﻟادوﻧ ﻣﻧدﻟاط.قﺞر ﯾ ﻋمﺗن كذ ﻟ كذ ﻋمﺗن ﯾ ﻣﻧدﻟاط.قﺞر ﺎﻲﻟادوﻧ ﺎﺗﻛﺗﻟاودطﻲاﻧر ﺣﺳاﻻ:ﺎوﻲﺎﻟاﻘطﺣر نزﺗﻣﯾﯾﻛودﻟاﯾﻲﻟار ﺳﺳﻟاد ﺎﺋبنرﺑﺣز اﻟﺣﻛوﻣﺗﯾن اﻟﻘﺎﺋﻣﺗﯾن أﺻﻼً او ﻠﻔﺻﻧﻣﻟ ﺗ نﯾ ﻲﻓ قﺑﺳﺎﻣ ، ﺣﺗت لظ ﻧ ﺎظ م ﯾﺳ ﻲﺳﺎ دﺣوﻣ مﻛﺣﯾ دﺑﻣﺑ أ " ا ،"ﺔﯾزﻛرﻣﻼﻟ فدﮭﺑ فدﮭﺑ ،"ﺔﯾزﻛرﻣﻼﻟ ا " أ دﺑﻣﺑ مﻛﺣﯾ دﺣوﻣ ﻲﺳﺎ ﯾﺳ م ﺎظ مﺎﻘﺗﺳ وﺔﻠطﻟﺳا ھ.اتدارﯾاﻻ هذ ﺔﯾزﻛرﻣﻟﻼا دﺗﺣﻲﻟا ﺎﻗھد ونﻧﺎ ﻛمﯾﻠﻗإ تﺎنﺗدﺳرو ط ءﺎﻐطﻟاأﻋ ﻟرﺷﻋﻲا ءﺎﻘﺑﻟ ءﺎﻘﺑﻟ ﻟرﺷﻋﻲا ءﺎﻐطﻟاأﻋ ط تﺎنﺗدﺳرو ﻛمﯾﻠﻗإ ونﻧﺎ ﺎﻗھد دﺗﺣﻲﻟا ﺔﯾزﻛرﻣﻟﻼا هذ ھ.اتدارﯾاﻻ وﺔﻠطﻟﺳا مﺎﻘﺗﺳ ﻣﻛﺣوﺣت ﺔﻟاﯾﻟاﺎﻠﻣ ﻲ ﻣﯾﻋنﮭﺗﻟاﺗ ﮭﺳبتﮭﯾﻠ ﺳووزﺎ ﺣ اﺔاﻷﻟاﯾﺗﻠ ﻓننططﺑقرر ﻋﯾنﯾ ﺗﯾ ھمﯾﻧﻟاظ ﻣﺿهنذ راتدﻹ اا راتدﻹ ﻣﺿهنذ ھمﯾﻧﻟاظ ﺗﯾ ﻋﯾنﯾ ﻓننططﺑقرر اﺔاﻷﻟاﯾﺗﻠ ﺣ ﺳووزﺎ ﮭﺳبتﮭﯾﻠ ﻣﯾﻋنﮭﺗﻟاﺗ ﻲ ﺔﻟاﯾﻟاﺎﻠﻣ ﻣﻛﺣوﺣت ﻗﯾﺑور ﺔﯾارط دﺷ ﯾ د ة ا ﺔﯾزﻛرﻣﻟ ركﺎﺷ ﺎﮭﯾﻓ ﻛﻼ ا .نﯾﺑزﺣﻟ ﻊﻣو ،ﻟكذ دﻘﻓ ﻟتوﺣ ﺎتﻣﻟدﺻا ا ﺔﯾﺳﺎﯾﺳﻟ ﺔﯾدﺎﺗﺻﻗﻻاو أدﺑﻣ أدﺑﻣ ﺔﯾدﺎﺗﺻﻗﻻاو ﺔﯾﺳﺎﯾﺳﻟ ا ﺎتﻣﻟدﺻا ﻟتوﺣ دﻘﻓ ،ﻟكذ ﻊﻣو .نﯾﺑزﺣﻟ ا ﻛﻼ ﺎﮭﯾﻓ ركﺎﺷ ﺔﯾزﻛرﻣﻟ ا ة ﺔﯾﻣﻼﻛرز ﻲ رﺳمﯾﻠﻗإﻓﻟا ﺎﻰنﺗﻛود دطأﻟا ةﺑباﻐﺿ ﯾ ﯾﻟاﻲﺣدزد رﺳﻣ ﺎﻲﻟااﻟاﺗﻘﻛودطر رﺳطدﻲﺎﺗاﺣﻻﻧو ﻧ.ﺎﻲﻟاﻟاﺗﻛودوﻧ ﻧ.ﺎﻲﻟاﻟاﺗﻛودوﻧ رﺳطدﻲﺎﺗاﺣﻻﻧو ﺎﻲﻟااﻟاﺗﻘﻛودطر رﺳﻣ ﯾﻟاﻲﺣدزد ﯾ ةﺑباﻐﺿ دطأﻟا ﺎﻰنﺗﻛود رﺳمﯾﻠﻗإﻓﻟا ﻲ ﺔﯾﻣﻼﻛرز دﻛور لﻌﻓ ﻰﻠﻋ ﯾز ﺎ ةد ا ﺔﯾزﻛرﻣﻟ دﻹا ﺔﯾرا او ﺎﻣﻟ ﻟ ﺔﯾ ﻲﻓ لظ ﻣوﻛﺣ ﺔ إ ﻗ ﻠ وﻛمﯾ ﺗدرﺳ نﺎ ا ﻟ ﻲﺗ رطﯾﺳﯾ ﻠﻋ ﺎﮭﯾ ا بزﺣﻟ بزﺣﻟ ا ﺎﮭﯾ ﻠﻋ رطﯾﺳﯾ ﻲﺗ ﻟ ا نﺎ ﺗدرﺳ ﻛودﻣﯾرﻟاﻲﺳد ﻧ،اﺎﻲﻟاﻘطﺗر ﻘﻰﻓ ﺣﻻﻌدﺳ ﻛوددرﺎطﻲﺳﺗا وﻧﺗ ﻣوﻟاﺎﻲﻟا هﺳﻘرﻧ ﻣﺔﯾﻰﻧﺎﻣﯾﻟاﻠ ﺔﺳﻣﺳ رﺔط ﻠﺎ ﺑﻰرﻋﻛاﻟا ﻠ ﺑﻰرﻋﻛاﻟا ﻠﺎ رﺔط ﺔﺳﻣﺳ ﻣﺔﯾﻰﻧﺎﻣﯾﻟاﻠ هﺳﻘرﻧ ﻣوﻟاﺎﻲﻟا وﻧﺗ ﻛوددرﺎطﻲﺳﺗا ﺣﻻﻌدﺳ ﻘﻰﻓ ﻧ،اﺎﻲﻟاﻘطﺗر ﻛودﻣﯾرﻟاﻲﺳد ﻠﻣﻛﺣوﻣتﺣ ﻟاﻻﺔوﺎﯾﻟا ﻣﯾددلﺔاﺻﺣﻧبتﺣرﯾاﻣﺿر نﺔﮭﺔﺎﺗﺧﯾظ و.ﺻﻓﻋﻟازااداو ﻻﯾﺟتلﺑﺣ دودﺎﻗﮫ ﺎ ﻧ ﻔاﻟا ﻧ ﺎ دودﺎﻗﮫ ﻻﯾﺟتلﺑﺣ و.ﺻﻓﻋﻟازااداو نﺔﮭﺔﺎﺗﺧﯾظ ﻣﯾددلﺔاﺻﺣﻧبتﺣرﯾاﻣﺿر ﻟاﻻﺔوﺎﯾﻟا ﻠﻣﻛﺣوﻣتﺣ ﺔﻣوﻛﺣ إ ﻗ ﻠ مﯾ ﺗﺳدروﻛ نﺎ و ك ﻟﻟذ وﺎﻣﻠﺳ ﺔﻣ نﻣ لﺟا ا ﻟ ﯾزﻣ د نﻣ ﺗﺳﻻا ﻟﻼﻘ ﯾ ﺔ و ا ﻟ ﺗ ﺄ ﺛ رﯾ ﻲﻓ ا ﻟ رارﻘ ﺔﺣﺻو ا ﻛ رﺑ نﻣ نﻣ رﺑ ﻛ ا ﺔﺣﺻو رارﻘ ﻟ ا ﻲﻓ رﯾ ﺛ ﺄ ﺗ ﻟ ا و ﺔ ﯾ ﻟﻼﻘ ﺗﺳﻻا نﻣ د ﯾزﻣ ﻟ ا لﺟا نﻣ ﺔﻣ .ﻟادارتو ﺳرزعﺎﻧﺻﻣﯾﻓوا ﺎحﻛ ط عﺳطﻼﯾ ﺎﻘﺻﻋﺎﻟاﻐﺿﺔ دﻰ ﻟا ﻲاﺑﻠﻣﻲﻟاﻷ إﻣﻠووﻧ ﯾزﻌﺗزﻟﺎﻟاﺳ ﺎونﻟاﻌﺗ ﯾزنبﺑ ااﻷﺣ ﯾزنبﺑ ﺎونﻟاﻌﺗ ﯾزﻌﺗزﻟﺎﻟاﺳ إﻣﻠووﻧ ﻲاﺑﻠﻣﻲﻟاﻷ ﻟا دﻰ ﺎﻘﺻﻋﺎﻟاﻐﺿﺔ عﺳطﻼﯾ ط ﺎحﻛ ﺳرزعﺎﻧﺻﻣﯾﻓوا .ﻟادارتو ﻲﺔﯾﺎﻟاﺳﯾﺳ رﺳمﯾﻠﻗإﻓ قﺎرنﺗﻛود ﻟاا,ﻌ اﻻ ان ﺔطﺎﺳمﺳﻘﺗ ﻠﻲ ﻟا مﯾﻠﻗاﻹﻓ رﺑﻰﯾ ﺎﺑطﺗﻘﻣ ﺑ لﻛﺷ ﻛ ر ﺑﯾﺑ ﻓزﻟﺎاوﺣ ﺔﻟﺎﯾﻣﻟا ﺗﻲﻟا ﺗﻲﻟا ﺔﻟﺎﯾﻣﻟا ﻓزﻟﺎاوﺣ ظﺎﻧأھﺄﺷ ﻧﻟمﺎا ﻟﻓﻲﻲادرﯾﻔﻟا ا اﮭدﻣقﻋوﻌرﻟ رﻹﺎط ﻹاﺎ يدا وﻟﻛﺣيارا ﺔﻛﻣﻣزﻟر ﯾﻠدوﺳمﻛرﻗإ .ﺎنﺗ تدﻘﻟ ا د ا تدﻘﻟ .ﺎنﺗ ﯾﻠدوﺳمﻛرﻗإ ﺔﻛﻣﻣزﻟر وﻟﻛﺣيارا يدا ﻹاﺎ رﻹﺎط اﮭدﻣقﻋوﻌرﻟ ا ﻟﻓﻲﻲادرﯾﻔﻟا ﻧﻟمﺎا ظﺎﻧأھﺄﺷ اﻻارطﺿ ﺑ تﺎ ا ﺎﺣﻟ ﻟ ﯾ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺿﻲﺗ تﺑر ﺎﻛر زﺋ ا ﻟ ﻛﯾﮭ ﻠ ﯾ ﺔ ا ﻟ اوﺗ ﻓ ﻘ ﯾ ﺔ ﻗﻺﻟ ﻠ ﯾ م إ ﻰﻟ ﺻثودﺣ ر دعا لﺧا ا ﻟ ﺎظﻧ م ثﯾﺣ ﯾﻌﯾ د ﻌ ﯾ مﺎﻧﻟالادارﺻوﺣﻰ مﯾﻠﻗﻟﺔﯾﻘﻓاﺗﻟاﺔﯾﻠﻛﮭﻟاز ﻛ ﺑ ﻲ ﺣ ﺎﺑااط ﺎنضﻓطر ﺄﻟاﺗﺑنﻟاﺷ ﺎﻣﮭﺗﺎﻗﺎﻘﺗاﺎوﺣﺳﻔ ﻟاﺎﻣ ﯾﻟﺔ و قﺎطﻧ ﺎﻣﮭﺗطﯾرﺳ دﻹا ﺔﯾرا نﻣ لﻼﺧ ﯾﺳ ﺔﺳﺎ ﺎﺣ ﺔﻓ ا .ﺔﯾوﺎﮭﻟ نﻣو ا ﻊﻗوﺗﻣﻟ ﻊﻗوﺗﻣﻟ ا نﻣو .ﺔﯾوﺎﮭﻟ ا ﺔﻓ ﺎﺣ ﺔﺳﺎ ﯾﺳ لﻼﺧ نﻣ ﺔﯾرا دﻹا ﺎﻣﮭﺗطﯾرﺳ قﺎطﻧ نأ يدؤﯾ ﻲﻠﺧﺗ افرطﻷا نﻋ عﺎﻣﺟﻹا إ ﻰﻟ ﯾزﻣ د نﻣ مدﻋ ﺗﺳﻻا رارﻘ او عارﻟﺻ د لﺧا إ ﻗ ﻠ ﯾ م ﺗﺳدروﻛ نﺎ ا ﻟ قارﻌ .