How power-sharing endures: generational change and institutional persistence in Iraq

This article examines how Iraq’s ethno-sectarian power-sharing system has continued despite significant generational change since 2003. Drawing on an online survey alongside structured group discussions and interviews in Baghdad and Erbil, it shows that three interacting ­mechanisms—identity reconfiguration, legitimacy erosion, and priority divergence—fragment reform coalitions and reinforce elite incentives for institutional continuity. The findings revealed a paradox: although majorities across ethno-sectarian communities oppose identity-based political parties, voting patterns remain largely communal due to electoral design and institutional constraints that entrench elite interdependence. The study contributes to consociational theory by integrating temporal and generational dimensions, offering insights into institutional endurance in deeply divided societies and the challenges of political transformation in post-conflict settings.