Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid has taken legal action against Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Finance Minister Taif Sami over unpaid salaries for civil servants in the Kurdistan region, highlighting a deepening rift in the country’s leadership.
The lawsuit, filed last month but only revealed on Sunday by the president’s adviser, Hawri Tawfiq, seeks a court order to ensure uninterrupted salary payments despite ongoing financial disputes between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional capital, Arbil.
Iraq’s public sector has long struggled with inefficiency and corruption, and tensions between Rashid, a Kurd, and Sudani have been brewing for some time. While most public workers received their January salaries, December wages remain unpaid, fueling discontent.
The delayed announcement of the lawsuit coincides with growing protests in Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan’s second-largest city and Rashid’s hometown, where residents have taken to the streets over the missing payments. On Sunday, hundreds of demonstrators attempted to march in Arbil, but security forces used tear gas to disperse the crowds.
Despite the financial turmoil, Kurdistan Regional President Nechirvan Barzani recently expressed gratitude to Sudani for his cooperation on salary payments. However, the unfolding legal battle signals deeper challenges in Baghdad’s relations with the autonomous region.
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