Kurdistan's independence referendum started today

25.09.2017
Iraq

More than five million people are eligible to vote when the people of Kurdistan head to the polls on Monday, September 25, to decide whether they want to leave or stay with Iraq.

Political process

The High Referendum Council set on June 7 the referendum date of September 25. Council consists of representatives from the majority of the Kurdistan Region’s political parties. It is chaired by Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani.

Fourteen of Kurdistan’s political party attended the June 7 meeting, including three of the five members who formed a coalition government: Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU).

Gorran and the Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal), the remaining two members of the coalition government, oppose the party-led drive for the vote, instead called  for the regional legislature to convene in order to give the referendum a parliamentary mandate. They however boycotted the parliament session that backed the vote.

Main Question

The question being posed in Kurdish, Turkmen, Arabic and Assyrian languages is: Do you want the Kurdistan Region and the Kurdistani areas outside the administration of the Region to become an independent state?

Voters can choose ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

Reaction

Government of Iraq officially opposes referendum.

Iran and Turkey also supports Iraq’s territorial integrity. Ankara already marked referendum as threat to national security of Turkey and told about possible sanctions against the Kurdistan Region.

USA supported kurds for many years asked Kurdish government to postpone referendum.

One country only supported referendum is Israel.

Related links
Is the Sunni Caliphate really restored in Iraq?
The Battle for Mosul and the Kurdish factor
Kurdistan
Referendum
Iraq