Iraqi Kurdistan's Brewing Crisis

He added, "When Gorran was established, their slogan was 'A social and just government.' Its position against corruption and income inequality made it popular, and it quickly became the main opposition. But in the last term, although it became a coalition partner, it did not deliver its promises. It couldn’t have. It started losing popularity and thought it could make up for it with street actions.”

Oguz noted that the traditionally good relations between Sulaimaniyah and Tehran also played a role in the crisis.

“I think we have key problems of corruption and income distribution in the region," he said. "All political parties are responsible. Gorran was represented by five ministers in the government, plus they had the parliamentary speaker post. How can one explain their efforts to expel the main partner of the coalition from the area, and threatening it with lynching, while we are surrounded by enemies?”

According to political analyst Siddik Hassan Sukru, who lives in Erbil, the crisis is caused by a deficiency in democracy. Answering Al-Monitor’s questions, Sukru claimed there are efforts to splinter the region.

“Developments in the Middle East, the situation of Iraq and Kurdistan do not permit a return to dual governance, although there is heavy international pressure to do so. The US and Europe have high hopes for Kurdistan because it is fighting IS. They think Kurds can bring democracy and freedom to the Middle East. This region needs democratic culture more than money, guns and oil. Europe hopes that Kurdistan could be the primer of such a culture in the region. Kurdish intellectuals and politicians will not allow splitting Kurdistan and fratricide.”