The story: Infighting between Iraqi Kurdistan’s two main parties is intensifying with only days until regional legislative polls. Rather than focusing on relations with Baghdad or economic issues, campaigning has so far centered on internal divisions and grievances between the largest Kurdish parties. If tensions continue to spiral, it could make government formation after the elections extremely difficult—if not impossible.

The coverage: The Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) High Committee on Oct. 8 released a controversial audio clip of an alleged conversation between Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani...