Iraqi president files suit against Sudani over Kurdistan salaries

BAGHDAD,— A dispute over unpaid civil servant salaries in Iraq’s Kurdistan region has escalated into a legal battle, with President Abdul Latif Rashid, an ethnic Kurd, suing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Finance Minister Taif Sami.

The case, filed last month but only made public on Sunday, underscores growing tensions within Iraq’s leadership.

The lawsuit, submitted to Iraq’s Supreme Federal Court, seeks a ruling to ensure that salaries are paid without interruption, despite ongoing financial disagreements between Baghdad and Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region, according to Rashid’s adviser, Hawri Tawfiq.

Public sector salaries remain a contentious issue in Iraq, where government inefficiencies and corruption have led to repeated delays.

While Kurdish regional government employees received their January wages, December’s salaries remain outstanding, triggering protests in Sulaimani, the second-largest city in the region and Rashid’s hometown.

Tawfiq said the timing of the lawsuit’s announcement was linked to mounting demonstrations over unpaid wages.

Hundreds of protesting teachers from Sulaimani attempted to demonstrate in Erbil but were met with tear gas from Barzani’s security forces, local media reported.

Public protests are banned in Erbil and Duhok, where the Barzani family holds power. Security forces linked to the KDP routinely disperse gatherings, and demonstrators often face arrest. By contrast, in Sulaimani and other areas controlled by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by the Talabani family, people are fully free to express their opinions and protest without significant restrictions.

In Sulaimani, a group of demonstrators has staged a sit-in for more than two weeks, with at least 13 teachers resorting to a hunger strike in frustration over the delayed payments.

Despite the unrest, Kurdistan Regional President Nechirvan Barzani recently praised Sudani for his efforts in addressing financial disputes, including salary payments. However, the issue remains unresolved.

The Barzani family, which governs Iraqi Kurdistan for decades, has faced consistent accusations from critics and observers of nepotism and enriching themselves through the region’s oil industry. Often referred to as the “Kurdish oligarchs,” they are criticized for prioritizing family wealth over the needs of the broader population.

The salary dispute follows a ruling by Iraq’s top court last year requiring the federal government to pay Kurdish civil servants directly, bypassing the regional administration—a demand long pushed by employees in Sulaimani. Officials say payments have been inconsistent due to technical challenges.

The legal action also highlights broader political strains between Rashid and Sudani. The rift widened in January after the prime minister launched an investigation into IQ Internet Services, a company owned by Rashid’s son.

The move prompted MP Hanan al-Fatlawi to publicly call out the president on X, stating: “The fines on your son’s company IQ… are enough to pay the salaries” of Kurdish employees.

(With files from AFP | Agencies)