Last week’s election in three northern Kurdish provinces maintained the status with the major ruling party holding to their seats in the Parliament. But the opposition, represented by a newly established reformist party, the Gorran/change, had impressive success, winning 24 seats.  Tapped as one of the most important elections in Iraq, such outcome is likely to have serious implications on the Kurdish political landscape as well as on the Arab – Kurdish relations.

In this week’s program, Radio Intifidha will examine those implications along with other pressing matters, including security, Kirkuk, oil and provincial relations between the central government and the provinces, with Nyma Ardalan, a Kurdish native, who has made frequent trips to the region in recent years.

We will open the phones during the second part of the program and Ardalan will answer questions from RI listeners.

We will also feature a brief update on the recent Fatah Congress and a preview of next week’s program with Sejal Patel. 

  

 Host and Producer Hamoud Salhi, SWANA (South and West Asia and North Africa) Collective