The story: The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) says it will sit out the upcoming regional legislative elections. The apparent driving factor is recent rulings by Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court, which the KDP insists make it impossible to participate in an “unconstitutional” process. The step by Iraqi Kurdistan’s most powerful party is unprecedented. But as other Kurdish groups have so far refrained from supporting its decision, the KDP runs the risk of marginalizing itself.

The coverage: The KDP announced on Mar. 18 that it will not contest the upcoming elections for the Kurdistan Parliament. Long delayed, the polls...