The Pay Institute for Education and Development published a report on the latest decisions of the Federal Court of Iraq titled "The Decision of the Union Court Between Threat and Opportunity." The report argues that a series of rulings, laws, and steps taken recently aim to shrink and limit the scope of the Kurdistan Region, pointing to a desire for Kurdistan not to remain a distinct political entity but rather to be treated like any other governorate in Iraq.

In the report, published today (Monday), the Pay Institute reviews the court's decisions and raises questions about the core causes of these events, asking whether they are solely due to Baghdad’s opposition or are also rooted in problems within the Kurdistan Region itself, such as unresolved issues like salary payments, the election system, and lack of consensus on recent changes. The report emphasizes the need to acknowledge that, apart from international and regional influences, the political stalemate and lack of legitimacy of regional institutions, as well as ignoring public concerns, are major contributing factors.

The report further states that if the regional authorities act in a national and sincere manner, the public would trust them and not look to other sides for solutions. If the constitution had been approved in the region, then the Iraqi constitution would not have been the only legal reference for Kurdistan, and Baghdad would not have been the default solution provider. However, political factions were too preoccupied with partisan interests to implement strategic decisions that benefited the people of Kurdistan.

The report concludes that progress requires tolerance and the establishment of a modern and contemporary system. The current threats should be transformed into opportunities to resolve the leadership crisis in Kurdistan and to move beyond the difficulties faced by the people, leveraging the lessons learned from these challenges.