Barzani Steps Down from Presidency of Iraqi Kurdistan; Power Sharing to be Discussed in Parliament

Reuters reports, citing a source from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, that Masoud Barzani does not intend to hold the presidency of the Kurdistan Region after November 1. The unnamed source also stated that Barzani has outlined the division of presidential powers in a letter sent to the Kurdistan Parliament, and this division of powers will be discussed in the Parliament on Sunday. This was also confirmed by the representative of the Kurdistan Region in Iran to the IRNA news agency, stating that Barzani will not run for this position again after his term ends. A report from AFP indicates that the Kurdistan Parliament announced on Saturday, November 6, that a session will be held on Sunday to discuss the division of Barzani's powers. The AFP report notes that the session comes as Barzani has been under pressure to resign following the independence referendum held on October 25, which led to a deep crisis between Baghdad and Erbil; as the crisis escalated, Kurdish forces lost control over the oil-rich province of Kirkuk, and Baghdad took direct control of the region. On Tuesday, the Kurdistan Parliament voted to suspend the activities of Masoud Barzani and his deputy, Kosrat Rasul, as well as the cabinet chief, Fuad Hussein. The central government of Iraq has deemed the Kurdistan independence referendum unconstitutional and has urged neighboring countries and the international community to sever ties with the region. After the Kurdistan Region lost control of Kirkuk, the opposition Goran party called for Barzani to resign. Meanwhile, Aidan Marouf, a representative in the Kurdistan Parliament, stated that the session on Sunday will address the appropriate division of the president's powers among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Despite the majority 'yes' vote for independence, Barzani's political position has weakened. The report adds that following the referendum, which led to the deployment of central government forces to Kirkuk and control over its oil fields, criticism in Kurdistan has intensified. The oil wells in Kirkuk and the revenue from them were key components of the potential independence of Kurdistan. Fuad Masum, the President of Iraq from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, stated that the referendum prompted the deployment of central government forces to Kirkuk. He has supported the UN plan for dialogue between Baghdad and Erbil. The Kurdistan Parliament has simultaneously voted to hold parliamentary elections in eight months. Previously, elections for the Parliament and the presidency of the region were scheduled for Wednesday, November 1, but were postponed after the loss of Kirkuk. Barzani's presidency of the Kurdistan Region, which began in 2013, was extended for two years due to the crisis following ISIS attacks in 2014 that captured a large part of Iraq. Meanwhile, Nazim Dabbagh, Iraq's representative from the Kurdistan Region in Iran, told IRNA that Barzani's two-year presidency will end in four days, and he will not run for the presidency of the Kurdistan Region again. He stated that the Kurdistan Region, the Iraqi army, and the Peshmerga forces are currently negotiating to reach an agreement on the borders of disputed areas.