Iraqi Kurdistan constitutional referendum

A referendum to approve the constitution of Iraqi Kurdistan will take place on 1 August 2009. The referendum was originally planned to coincide with the election on 25 July of a new Kurdish National Assembly and the election of the President of Iraqi Kurdistan. However, the Independent High Electoral Commission announced a delay on 6 July, saying holding the three elections on the same day would affect the "honesty" of the commission.

The constitution was approved on June 26 in a vote of the Kurdish National Assembly by 96 votes to 1 with 13 members absent. Seven Assembly members from the Change List had boycotted the session, arging that the Assembly should not have used emergency powers to extend their term by a month and should wait until a new Assembly had been elected. The constitution was criticised by opponents for putting too much power in the hands of the President rather than the National Assembly, and not giving the Assembly the power to impeach the President. However, the constitution was backed by the opposition Service and Reform List.

The constitution claimed all the disputed areas as being part of the "geographic and historic" Iraqi Kurdistan:

• The governorate of Kirkuk
• The districts within Ninawa Governorate of Akre, Shekhan, Sinjar, Tel Keppe, Bakhdida and the sub-districts of Zumar, Bashiqa, and Aski Kalak
• The districts within Diyala Governorate of Khanaqin and Mandali

However, it states that the "political" borders of Iraqi Kurdistan would be determined by Article 140 of the Iraqi Constitution. Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, was reported to have opposed this clause, saying it hinders resolving the differences between Kurdistan and the central government. al-Maliki asked visiting US Vice President Joe Biden to try to persuade Kurdish leaders to cancel the constitution.