On September 30, elections were held in Bashurê (Southern) Kurdistan. Legally the election results had to be disclosed within 72 hours. However, instead of after 72 hours, the results were announced after 22 days.

Since the first day after the elections were held, Goran Movement, New Generation Party, Komeley Islamic, Islamic Yegurtu as well as Hewler and Duhok PUK and the KDP appealed to the elections in and around Sulaymaniyah.

The Goran Movement and the New Generation Party objected to the election results to the extent of threatening they would not go to parliament. Due to the objections of the parties, polling stations in several places proceeded to the count and those partial results were presented to the public as the actual election results.

Relations between the KDP and PUK fell into a serious crisis due to the Iraqi presidential elections held a few days after the Kurdish elections.

This crisis is still partially going on. However, when we look at the Kurdish election results, we can see that both parties have united and agreed against other parties in the region.

Indeed, two days before the official election results were announced, officials of both parties, who had been arguing that their relations had come to a breaking point, used far more moderate terms.

Statements were made to reaffirm that no government could be established without the presence of the two parties. Two days after these moderate statements, the so called ‘Independent High Election Commission’ announced the official results of the elections held on 30 September in South Kurdistan.

It appears clear that the two parties, no matter how many points of conflict they may have between themselves, are ready to leave them aside and unite against the other parties in the region.

Kurdistan results and the so called Independent High Elections Commission

Despite the fact that the KDP and the PUK had serious conflict over the Iraqi Presidency and the Kirkuk governor, the moderate statements they made just before the election results were announced indicated, as we have said, that they had reached an agreement. The way the election results were announced strengthened these doubts.

The High Election Commission was split in half when declaring the election results. Four of the nine members of the election commission opposed the announcement of the election results in this way, yet they were announced as the other five members agreed to do so.

The Goran Movement, Komeley Islamic and Islamic Yekgurtu were opposed to the announcement of the election results. Against them, the KDP and PUK.

In countries governed by law, electoral commissions in regions are composed of civil servants and bureaucrats. The election commission in Bashurê Kurdistan is composed of party cadres appointed by the parties. Thus, although it is said that there are laws in Bashur, the most obvious example of how these laws are used and implemented in the interests of the parties is precisely this latest case.

KDP not thinking of government without the PUK

These developments have also eliminated speculations that the KDP is trying to form a government without the PUK.

KDP list head and Presidential Council member Hêmin Hawrami was quick to say that he did not think of a government without the PUK.

Unforeseen Developments in Hewler

On the one hand, objections to the election results, inter-party tensions, problems between the KDP and PUK are going on, while on the other hand, unexpected developments have taken place in Hewlêr.

Some time ago, in Hewlêr, statements were made saying that measures will be taken to counter illegal oil sales. After these statements, many people were indeed taken into custody. This operation went as far as detaining Hewler Governor Newzat Hadi and the brother of the Public Security Forces.

It is clearly not normal that the Hewler Governor and the brother of the Public Security Forces are taken into custody. Because the KDP and the Barzani family will not have assigned these two important charges to anyone. In other words, had you not been very close to the KDP and Barzani family you would have not been appointed for these positions.

According to the information provided by the family environment of Hewler governor Newzat Hadi it would appear that he has close links to Nechirvan Barzani. The dismissal or detention of a person affiliated with Nechirvan Barzani may therefore indicate that a serious struggle for power has started within the Barzani family.

Power struggle within the Barzani family nothing new

This power struggle within the Barzani family, or rather between Nechirvan Barzani and Masoud and Masrur ​​Barzani, is actually not something new.

Nechirvan Barzani's close ties to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the time of the independence referendum added fuel to fire and revived rumours of a widening fifth within the family. Following the referendum, Masoud Barzani resigned from his post as regional chairman, and the press speculated about Nechirvan Barzani actually aiming at replacing Masoud.

This power war was further stretched when Masoud Barzani instead of sending Nechirvan to the AKP congress sent a delegation of three led by Fazıl Mirani.

Almost all of the candidates who were nominated for the 12 May Iraqi general elections, were connected to Masoud Barzani. The fact that only one of those elected in the Iraqi parliamentary elections was actually connected to Nechirvan Barzani shows that the conflict was also brought into the parliamentary elections.

Likewise, in the Kurdistan elections most of the 45 deputies elected for the KDP are connected to Mesut.

Latest operation

It is said that the latest operation leading to the detention of Hewler governor and the brother of the Public Security Forces over the issue of illegal sales of oil, has been ordered by Masrur ​​Barzani. And it was clearly aimed at hitting Nechirvan Barzani and his circle of friends.

Where this power struggle will go to and how it will develop remains to be seen.