Southern, central Iraqi provinces seek regional autonomy inspired by Kurdistan Region

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The southern and central provinces of Iraq view the Kurdistan Region as a successful model and are calling for the establishment of a similar autonomous region to positively impact the entire country.

Since 2003, Iraq has allocated over $1 trillion in its budget. However, more than $250 billion has reportedly disappeared without trace, and the remaining funds have not translated into reliable services and infrastructure in southern and central Iraq.

The mismanagement of public wealth and lack of essential services has led many provinces, both Sunni and Shiite, to advocate for the creation of an autonomous region akin to the Kurdistan Region.

Rahim al-Daraji, Secretary General of the Kafa Movement, criticized successive Iraqi governments for their inability to provide basic necessities such as water and electricity for over two decades.

"Successive governments have failed to run the country, leading to a collapse in services. Iraqi citizens have been without electricity and drinking water for 21 years despite dozens of huge budgets. These are the simplest necessities of life, not to mention hospitals, schools, universities, streets, and other services," al-Daraji said.

Despite these calls, the demand for regionalization has not been well-received by political parties. Those advocating for such changes are often accused of dishonesty and attempting to divide Iraq.

Al-Daraji denounced this opposition as unconstitutional, emphasizing that the Kurdistan Region exemplifies successful resource management. "The Kurdistan Region is an example of the success of a region that has been able to manage its resources in the best way,” he stated.

He further argued, "The Kurdistan Region is the best example of regionalization. We ask to become a region just like the Kurdistan Region, so that the finances and particularities of that region are best allocated for the provinces within that region. But the parties do not allow this. They tell people to vote for the constitution, but if you implement one article of the constitution, they say, 'Stop, you are dividing Iraq’. I don’t know why they label regionalization as partition since we already have a successful experience in the form of the Kurdistan Region.”

The demand for regional autonomy in some provinces arises amidst several thwarted attempts in the past, with each effort quickly suppressed.

Additional reporting by Kurdistan24's correspondent Abdul-Karim Shakr