ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) announced Saturday that the party is "closely monitoring" the latest developments in Baghdad, warning that resolution of unrest in the south and center of Iraq must preserve Kurdish rights.
"We are closely monitoring the recent developments and welcome any steps which could contribute to resolving the crisis and not lead to the return of dictatorship," KDP President Masoud Barzani announced in a tweet.
Barzani's cautious message came hours after Iraq's Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi announced plans to submit his resignation.
Abdul-Mahdi, an independent technocrat, took office in October 2018 following lengthy government formation talks. It is not yet clear whether parliament will accept his resignation.
His announcement follows weeks of nationwide protests which have left at least 320 people dead and 15,000 injured. At least 40 people were killed on Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday alone.
“As a response to the call [of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani], to facilitate and speed up its implementation as soon as possible, I will submit a formal letter for a resignation request to the current Prime Minister to the honorable parliament for the parliament to review its options,” Abdul-Mahdi said.
Sistani, Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, earlier called on the parliament to withdraw its support for the government. His words carry significant weight among Iraqi Shiites and the political establishment.
Protests demanding jobs, basic services, and action against corruption began in Baghdad on October 1, before spreading nationwide.
Unrest relented after a week, but resumed with renewed vigor on October 25. Demands have evolved to include the overthrow of the government and constitutional change that could see Iraq shift from a parliamentary to presidential rule, similar to that of the United States.
In his Saturday remarks, Barzani added that any changes made to the governance system in Baghdad will have to "take into consideration the rights of all components" and they "must be in accordance to the Constitution."
"Any constitutional amendments must be in accordance to the law. Should there be any changes, they cannot be at the cost of any concessions to the principles of democracy nor can they undermine the rights of the Kurds and other components within Iraq," he warned.
Talk of change to the 2005 constitution has provoked worry among many Kurdish political figures, who believe the document milestone in the acquisition of greater rights for Iraq’s biggest ethnic minority after the brutal rule of Saddam Hussein.
"The current and previous problems in Iraq are a direct result of 15 years of failed governance which repeatedly neglected the Constitution," Barzani explained. "I call upon the government not to resort to violence as the legitimate concerns and demands of the protesters ought to be resolved."
Kurdish members of the Iraqi parliament's Constitutional Amendment Committee are set to gather in Sulaimani on Saturday evening, alongside other Baghdad MPs, Kurdistani party officials, and constitutional experts.
"After the meeting, we will prepare a report stating the opinion of the people of Kurdistan on the mechanism of amending the constitution. I hope we will all share a united point of view on this sensitive subject," said Viyan Sabri, head of the KDP bloc in Baghdad.
