Shafaq News- Erbil

The Kurdistan Parliament convened its first session on Wednesday to elect a new speaker and deputy speakers and advance efforts to form a government, more than two years after elections were held in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI).

The session is proceeding without the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the New Generation Movement bloc, both of which are boycotting the proceedings.

Despite the boycott, lawmakers from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc and several other members of parliament attended the meeting, a Shafaq News correspondent reported.

The lawmaker designated to chair the session, who belongs to the New Generation Movement, also declined to take part, prompting another lawmaker to preside over the proceedings. At least half plus one of parliament's members must attend for the session to meet the legal quorum.

Malako Baziani, leader of the Kurdistan Green Party, backed the PUK's opposition to holding a parliamentary session without a prior political agreement, warning that proceeding unilaterally could deepen political divisions and push Erbil toward a more serious crisis.

Baziani urged the KDP and PUK to return to the negotiating table and resolve their differences through an agreement that would safeguard the stability of the Kurdistan Region's political institutions.

He further called on Kurdish political parties to fulfill their responsibilities and avoid steps that could widen divisions or threaten political stability.

On Tuesday, the PUK rejected plans to convene the Kurdistan Region's parliament, describing the proposed session as "illegal." The party characterized the meeting as an attempt by one political side to impose its will on others and confirmed that it would not participate.

Earlier that day, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) parliamentary bloc, the Christian bloc, and the Turkmen Reform Party bloc called on other parliamentary groups to attend a session to reactivate the KRI's parliament.

The move comes amid continued political deadlock in the KRI following parliamentary elections held on October 20, 2024.

The KDP emerged as the largest party with 39 seats, followed by the PUK with 23 and the New Generation Movement with 15, out of the parliament's 100 seats.