Society

Erbil Citadel: Cultural heritage, memory and everyday life

Erbil Citadel embodies the relationship between cultural heritage, collective memory, and the everyday life that developed across generations of continuous settlement. The article examines its urban form, multicultural uses, UNESCO designation, conservation history, and efforts to reconnect historic spaces with communities and former residents.

Erbil Policy Institute·October 1, 2026·4 min read

Analysis

From a terror-free Türkiye to a terror-free region

Türkiye’s “Terror-Free Region” vision links domestic security with a broader regional strategy. This analysis examines how military capabilities, diplomacy, and social integration underpin an approach focused on border security, state authority, and lasting stability in Iraq and Syria.

Hüseyin Arslan·September 23, 2026·7 min read

Analysis

Can KRI politics find a new balance between the KDP and PUK?

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s prolonged government formation crisis reflects a deeper challenge to KDP–PUK power-sharing. This analysis examines how shifting parliamentary alliances, public expectations, and regional pressures could push the two parties toward a more sustainable political balance.

Dr. Şohan Aydoğan·September 23, 2026·5 min read

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The role of the KRI in the "terror-free Türkiye" process

The Kurdistan Region of Iraq plays a facilitating role in the “Terror-Free Türkiye” process through diplomatic engagement and practical support for PKK disarmament. This analysis examines the KDP’s and PUK’s motivations, Ankara–Sulaymaniyah normalization, and the implications for regional security and economic cooperation.

Emre Karaca·September 23, 2026·9 min read

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A new era with Iraq: From a positive agenda to a lasting economic partnership

Growing cooperation in energy, trade, and infrastructure offers Türkiye and Iraq an opportunity to build a lasting economic partnership. This analysis examines why sustaining that momentum requires binding agreements, solutions to customs and transport barriers, and lessons from past cooperation.

Hasan Kocasoy·September 23, 2026·8 min read

Analysis

Iraqi Kurds: Foreign policy priorities, shortcomings, and opportunities in the wake of the Iran war

The Iran war exposed the limits of neutrality in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s foreign policy. This analysis examines how stronger institutions, diversified partnerships, and closer cooperation with Baghdad can help the KRI move from reactive balancing toward strategic resilience.

Prof. Mohammed Ihsan·September 23, 2026·8 min read

Perspective

Understanding a region

In this founding message, the Erbil Policy Institute’s president outlines a vision for independent research on Iraq, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and Türkiye–Iraq relations, bringing together fieldwork, historical inquiry, and social analysis.

Mehmet Zeki Bayrak·September 23, 2026·6 min read

Analysis

A new era in Türkiye-KRI relations along the Ankara-Erbil-Sulaymaniyah axis

Türkiye’s renewed engagement with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan signals a broader approach to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. This analysis examines the drivers of Ankara–Sulaymaniyah rapprochement and its implications for KDP–PUK relations, regional stability, and economic cooperation.

Erbil Policy Institute·September 23, 2026·8 min read