Oil and Autonomy at Stake in Iraq

About 2.5 million people are expected to cast ballots on Saturday in the three Kurdish-dominated provinces of northern Iraq. The landmark election has 500 candidates from 24 parties fighting for 111 seats in the Kurdish regional government.

Kurdish politics have traditionally been dominated by two families and two parties — the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), headed by Massoud Barzani, President of the regional government, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi President.

After decades of  sometimes bloody conflict, the two parties joined forces in the last elections in 2005 and captured all but seven seats in the regional parliament.

This time around, a significant opposition group known as Change, made up of former PUK members, has mounted a challenge to Kurdistan’s old-line leadership.

Led by Nawshirwan Mustafa, who co-founded the PUK with Mr. Talabani, Change has struck a responsive chord with voters who complain of corruption, nepotism and a lack of accountability.