ABSTRACT
After nearly ten years of existing without the direct interference of the central GOI, the people of Iraqi Kurdistan may now be realizing the beginnings of a stable, indigenous, system of government with aspirations of democratic ideals and tendencies, if not, as yet, realities. Whether by design or accident, the political and administrative system of the region has developed into a structure which displays a modicum of stability, albeit through a cumbersome division of power and inefficient administrative structure, and limited multi-party involvement. The characteristics of the political system can be seen to have its roots in the decades of political development before the 1990s, and, possibly, in the inherent qualities of the peoples of Iraqi Kurdistan. In turn, the characteristics of the administrative system have been shown to be influenced greatly by the party political system and its internal dynamics, combined with the functional need of administering a region in a geopolitical flashpoint.
