Referendum or popular consultation

Kurdistan Region independence referendum, 2017

Voters in the Kurdistan Region and some disputed areas voted on independence; Baghdad rejected the vote and the federal Supreme Court later cancelled its results.

The vote

Jurisdiction
Kurdistan Region of Iraq and some disputed areas outside it
Organising authority
Kurdistan Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission
Legal character
Legal status contestedCalled by the regional authorities without federal agreement; Iraq’s Council of Representatives declared it unconstitutional, and the federal Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional and cancelled its results.[1][2]
Geographical scope
The Kurdistan Region and some disputed areas outside its administration, including Kirkuk Governorate
Question on the ballot
“Do you agree to the independence of the Kurdistan region and the Kurdistani areas (disputed areas) outside the administration of the region, and the establishment of an independent State?”
Reported results[3][4][5][2]. Percentages: not calculated — no compatible denominator was reported.
OptionVotesOfficial %Calculated %
Yes Not reported 92.73% Not reported
No Not reported Not reported Not reported
Valid votes
Not reported
Invalid votes
Not reported
Blank votes
Not reported
Total ballots cast
3,085,935
Registered electorate
Not reported
Turnout
Not reported

The UN report gives 92.73 per cent “of the 3,085,935 voters”, citing the regional commission. Vote counts per option, invalid ballots, the electorate and whether the percentage is of all or valid ballots were not found in the sources consulted.

Assessments of the vote

A declared result and an assessment of the vote’s legal effect or legitimacy are different claims. Each is attributed.

  • Federal Supreme Court of Iraq · Judicial assessment

    Ruled the referendum unconstitutional and cancelled its results (20 November 2017).[2]

  • Council of Representatives of Iraq · Governmental assessment

    Declared the referendum unconstitutional, null and void (27 September 2017).[1]

  • Kurdistan Regional Government · Governmental assessment

    Affirmed respect for the ruling but said annulling the results was beyond its powers.[6]

Limitations and competing accounts

The question is given in the UN’s English translation; the Kurdish and Arabic ballot wording was not consulted. Only the regional commission’s headline figure, as reported by the UN, was available.

Immediate outcome

The regional commission reported 92.73 per cent support.[5] No independence followed: the federal Supreme Court cancelled the results.[2]

What happened next

Not implemented. The KRG said it respected the ruling, and disputes over the disputed areas and border crossings continued.[6][7]

What happened

On 25 September 2017 a unilaterally declared referendum on independence was held in the Kurdistan region and some disputed areas, including Kirkuk.[3] The regional electoral commission reported 92.73 per cent support among 3,085,935 voters.[5] Masoud Barzani described it as a mandate for negotiations rather than a fait accompli.[8]

Baghdad called it unconstitutional and imposed measures including a suspension of international flights, and most international statements supported Iraq’s unity.[1][9] On 20 November 2017 the federal Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional and cancelled its results.[2]

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

  1. 1.

    Claim: Iraq’s prime minister called the referendum illegal and unconstitutional; on 27 September 2017 the Council of Representatives declared it unconstitutional, null and void, and the federal government suspended international flights to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports.

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 19 October 2017) link, paras. 5–7, p. 2. Source record
  2. 2.

    Claim: On 20 November 2017 Iraq’s federal Supreme Court ruled the referendum unconstitutional and cancelled its results.

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 17 January 2018) link, paras. 19 and 36, pp. 4 and 8. Source record
  3. 3.

    Claim: On 25 September 2017 a unilaterally declared referendum on independence was held in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and in some disputed areas outside it, including Kirkuk Governorate.

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 19 October 2017) link, para. 2, p. 1. Source record
  4. 4.

    Claim: The UN translation of the question was: “Do you agree to the independence of the Kurdistan region and the Kurdistani areas (disputed areas) outside the administration of the region, and the establishment of an independent State?”

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 19 October 2017) link, para. 2, p. 1. Source record
  5. 5.

    Claim: According to the Kurdistan Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission, 92.73 per cent of the 3,085,935 voters backed independence. Attributed to Kurdistan Independent High Electoral and Referendum Commission, as reported by the UN Secretary-General

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 19 October 2017) link, para. 4, p. 1. Source record
  6. 6.

    Claim: The Kurdistan Regional Government affirmed its respect for the Constitution and the ruling but said annulling the results was beyond its powers because they expressed the will of the Kurdish people. Attributed to Kurdistan Regional Government, as reported by the UN Secretary-General

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 17 January 2018) link, para. 20, p. 4. Source record
  7. 7.

    Claim: In early 2018 control over the disputed areas and border crossings remained a source of tension between Baghdad and Erbil.

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 17 January 2018) link, paras. 19 and 21, p. 4. Source record
  8. 8.

    Claim: Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani said the vote was meant not to impose a fait accompli or draw borders but to give a mandate for negotiations with Baghdad; he had described Iraqi Kurds as having a legitimate right to self-determination and articulated a vision of an independent Kurdistan. Attributed to Masoud Barzani, as reported by the UN Secretary-General

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 19 October 2017) link, paras. 3 and 12, pp. 1 and 3. Source record
  9. 9.

    Claim: Most international statements expressed disappointment that the referendum had been held, said it lacked legitimacy and supported Iraq’s unity and territorial integrity; on 21 September the Security Council had expressed concern about its potentially destabilising impact.

    • United Nations Secretary-General, Report of the Secretary-General pursuant to resolution 2367 (2017) (United Nations, 19 October 2017) link, paras. 8 and 14, pp. 2–3. Source record

Source note

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