The Federal Mechanisms for Building Mutual Trust in Deeply Divided Societies

This study discusses the role of two federal institutions in building mutual trust in societies that are deeply divided into many different peoples, religions, sects, languages, and cultures, and that these differences have become the basis for the building and managing state institutions. This study examines only two federal mechanisms for building mutual trust: the Federal Supreme Court and the Federal Council. The reason for the inclusion of these two institutions is that they exist in different federal systems and have played an active role in building mutual trust and peace between the different ethnoreligious groups and promoting political stability. Cosequently, it is concluded that the role of these two institutions in building mutual trust between the ethnoreligious groups in Iraq is largely weak because the Federal Supreme Court is considered to be somehow politicized and the Federal Council, despite its constitutionality, has not yet been established.