Prescription for Power Sharing in Contested Kirkuk

The future stability of Iraq depends on a peaceful resolution to the problem of Kirkuk. This article examines the contested city, and suggests the adoption of a power sharing arrangement as a solution to the current unsettled governance problem in the city.  It argues that a power sharing arrangement based on consociation is crucial to addressing the demands of each ethnic group in the city and for maintaining stability and diversity. There are two ways to facilitate consociational form of power-sharing which are known as ‘corporate consociation’ or ‘liberal consociation’. I argue for adopting a liberal form of power sharing for I think it can offer an institutional mechanism to manage and resolve tensions over the city and build a stable government in Kirkuk. The article also proposes that Kirkuk offers a valuable case study for the region as a whole. Looking at Iraqi  legal  documents,  including  the  constitution  and  a  decade  of  local  governance experience,  the  article  concludes  that  adopting  liberal  consociation (power sharing) is necessary, feasible, and ultimately would enable a viable future for Iraq.