The decision by eight Turkmen parties to run under a single list in Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections marks a significant step towards political unity for the country’s ethnic Turkmen population. On Oct. 10, seventeen Turkmen candidates will stand as parliamentary candidates under the banner of the United Iraq Turkmen Front Alliance (UITFA). The bloc is chaired by Hasan Turan, head of the Turkey-backed Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF).

The UITFA list represents the first time since 2005 that Turkmen parties have formed a united front in advance of elections. The participation of Shiite Turkmen also signals greater political coordination among Turkmen groups which are divided in their respective ties with Turkey and Iran. However, it may be that the lack of a single charismatic leader capable of ending intra-communal sectarianism and balancing Ankara-Tehran rivalries will limit the ability of Turkmen political leaders to exert influence in Baghdad....