Ekurd.net – Editorial

Politicians play an important role in the development of a country and politics is a hot topic for current affairs in all countries.

Some politicians in Iraqi Kurdistan have become extremely powerful. In this article, we will have a look at the ten of Iraqi Kurdistan’s most powerful people.

Nations have deeply subjective ideas about each another, and the images they project to the world are filtered through complex cultural, economic, political and security perspectives.

Family means everything in Iraqi Kurdistan, the bigger the family is, the more power the family has.

The list represents the collective wisdom of Ekurd Daily editors, Analytics and advisors, who consider tens of nominees before ranking the Iraqi Kurdistan’s 10 power brokers.

So let’s get started with the list!

Here are the 10 Most Powerful who truly rule Iraqi Kurdistan:

1. Massoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party KDP and Kurdistan president whose presidency ended on August 20, 2015 but refused to step down and continues to function as Kurdish leader. Massoud has led Kurdistan region as president from 2005 for two executive terms and his last term was extended in 2013 by ruling KDP and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) for two more years on the condition that he can no longer run as president.

He is the head of Barzani clan and the general commander of the Kurdish (KDP) Peshmerga forces estimated to 50,000 fighters. Analysts say he has more power than Kurdistan Parliament and government. According to the observers, Barzani is the most wealthiest person in Kurdistan.

2. Nechirvan Idris Barzani, he has same power as Massoud if not more. He is the current Kurdistan Prime Minister, since March 2012. He also previously served as Prime Minister from March 2006 to August 2009.

He is the Vice President of the KDP, also Massoud Barzani’s nephew.

No one in Kurdistan will even come close to him, not even Massoud. Observers see him as “the untouchable leader”. Nechirvan is self-confident, skilled, works with both supporters and opposition, and is generally popular. Nechirvan and Massoud don’t step in, on each other’s territory very often.

3. Masrour Barzani, a member of the KDP leadership and is the Chancellor of the Kurdistan Region Security Council in Iraqi Kurdistan.

He is Massoud Barzani’ eldest son. All security forces (Asayish) and intelligence elements are under his command.

The competition between Masrour Barzani, and his cousin, Nechirvan Barzani, is legendary. Both may blur the lines between public service and private enrichment, but Nechirvan is more skilled, committed to the public good, and popular.

Masrour sees himself as a natural successor to his father, and would object to the far more talented Nechirvan Barzani effectively becoming the kingmaker in Kurdistan. The experts see that he will never be able to compete with Nechirvan and will never take over after his father Massoud is gone in 20-30 years from now.

4. Ashti Hawrami, the natural resources minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), responsible of most oil deals in the Kurdish region, which described by the analysts as “secretive deals”, he controls the financial sector and flow of money in the region.

Hawrami knows way too much for his removal and he will be around for as long as Barzani is around. Analysts say Hawrami knows that he has made some bad moves over oil deals and if he is questions or investigated, then Nechirvan will not be pleased and that will not happen.

Hawrami routinely accused of corruption by observers, Kurdish officials and Kurdish media.

5. Nawshirwan Mustafa, the General Coordinator of the Movement for Change (Gorran) and the leader of the strongest opposition in the Kurdistan Region.

His Movement, enjoys wide support, is a rival to the ruling PUK and the KDP. He is the owner of powerful media company Wisha, the company, which includes a television station, newspaper and website.

The observers say “he has no energy what so ever to even fight anyone.”, he is “history” and the game is over for him.

Th experts say he is way too weak to do anything and even their supporters are losing faith in Gorran. Mustafa died on May 19, 2017.

6. Mrs. Hero Ibrahim Ahmed (Hero Talabani), also known as Hero Khan, former Iraq’s first lady, Jalal Tabani’s wife. She has long been a major power within Talabani’s Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

Considered as the most richest woman in Kurdistan. The observers described her as “ruthless businesswoman”. She controls the financials status of the PUK.

Her power is based not only on her marriage, but also her pedigree and frankly her intellect and ability. Her father, Ibrahim Ahmad, was a famous Kurdish writer whose split with Massoud Barzani’s father ultimately led to the PUK’s creation. Many Westerners are impressed with her for her obvious independence and intelligence.

7. Close Barzani Family: Position seven goes to the close Barzani family members, Sirwan Barzani, Mansour Barzani, Rawan Idris Barzani, Yousif Idris Barzani, Idris Nechirvan Barzani, Waji Mustafa Barzani..etc and other Massoud Barzani’s sons and close family members.

Massoud’s sons and family members run intelligence and the militia in Kurdistan region. Massoud’s second son Mansour is a general, as is Massoud’s brother Wajy. Barzani’s nephew Sirwan is top Peshmerga commander and owns the regional cell phone company, Korek. According to the observers “they have some power but not have much influence in Kurdistan”

The experts say Nechirvan Barzani is now grooming/preparing his son, Idris, (only 19-year old), to take over once the time comes.

8. Karim Sinjari, Kurdistan Interior Minister and KDP member, he was appointed as Minister for the Interior May 2006.

He was reappointed in the six cabinet on October 28, 2009 following the July 2009 Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections, and in the seventh cabinet, on 5 April 2012.

Sinjari is answering to Nechirvan Barzani, whereas Sinjari once was responsible for the region’s security.

Observer say “today Sinjari’s title may be the same but he holds sway over little more than local and traffic police forces.”

9. Faruk Mala Mustafa, Kurdish businessman and billionaire with close ties with PUK leadership. (co)-owner of cell phone company, Asiacell, in Kurdistan and Iraq.

Asiacell Communications PJSC, the business Faruk founded, is the second-largest mobile-phone carrier in the country. He owns 28 percent of the company, a stake valued at $1.4 billion, and sold about $720 million in shares in a Baghdad initial public offering in February. It was the largest in the country’s history.

9. Hoshyar Zebari, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Iraq. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003 until 2014.

He is Massoud Barzani’s uncle, some experts say he is “one of the hidden powerful man of Kurdistan” and he has “influences on Massoud”

He was appointed Foreign Minister of Iraq in 2003 by the Iraqi Governing Council and held the post for the Iraqi Interim Government, Iraqi Transitional Government and the first permanent government. On 11 July 2014, Zaberi was replaced as foreign minister by Hussain al-Shahristani, Iraq’s deputy prime minister, who assumed the position in an acting capacity, after Kurdish politicians withdrew from the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

10. Mala Bakhtiar, Senior Iraqi Kurdish politician and head of the political bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

He is a military supervisor of the Kurdish PUK peshmerga forces and considered as one of the influential and active senior members of PUK.

The experts described him as “the man of no action”

(With files from NY times | AEI | Wikipedia)

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