Kurdish officials accuse Baghdad of ignoring 55 constitutional articles tied to Kurdistan’s rights and federal powers
The Kurdistan Region is calling on Iraqi authorities to abide by the Iraqi Constitution and respect the Region’s constitutional status. Officials say 55 constitutional articles related to Kurdistan and federal powers remain unimplemented, despite being central to Iraq’s federal system.
Dr. Sabah Subhi, a member of the Iraqi Parliament, told The Kurdish Globe: “It’s critical that the Iraqi government respects the constitution, so outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad—like oil, budget, Article 140, and federal powers—can be resolved. Unfortunately, Baghdad has not upheld the constitution, and that’s the root of the problems between both sides.”
He added, “The constitution was written to serve as a legal framework for coexistence among Iraq’s components. But in reality, political deals and power plays have overridden it, and the situation keeps worsening. Key articles—like 111, 112, 115, 140, and 163—that relate to Kurdistan’s powers are being ignored.”
Saman Sattar, a member of the Erbil Provincial Council and political analyst, told The Kurdish Globe, “Even though the rights and duties of the Kurdistan Region are clearly outlined in the constitution, Baghdad has disregarded 55 articles and continues to treat Kurdistan as if it has no constitutional status. This has prolonged the disputes between Erbil and Baghdad. Baghdad wants to apply its interpretation of the constitution across everything.”
He said: “The key constitutional articles—111, 112, 113, 140, and 163—are not just legal clauses. After Iraq’s liberation process and the drafting of the constitution, the very first article declares Iraq a sovereign federal country. Article 116 reaffirms the authority of the regions and defines Iraq as a federal republic made up of the capital, regions, provinces, and decentralized administrations. Article 117 explicitly recognizes the Kurdistan Region and its existing institutions as a federal region. Unfortunately, there is now an effort to override all of these articles and ignore Kurdistan’s constitutional status entirely.”
He added: “There’s a mindset in Iraq that wants to drag Kurdistan down to the level of Baghdad and other central and southern cities, where public services, electricity, and water are lacking. But Kurdistan has grown stronger day by day.
Meanwhile, Baghdad’s rulers treat the law and the constitution like something flexible in their hands—governing the country with sectarian logic. Their focus is on stopping Kurdistan’s progress, trying every possible way to weaken and reverse its gains.”
He said the pressure Baghdad places on the KRG is a tactic to force it into submission. “If the budget law is implemented without issues in the rest of Iraq, then why is it a problem only for Kurdistan?” he asked.
The Kurdish Globe