Political agreement reached for power-sharing in Kirkuk

Shafaq News / On Friday, politician Mohammad Nasir disclosed an "initial agreement" signed between the Arab bloc and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) to form a government and provincial council in Kirkuk.

Nasir clarified that "the preliminary agreement signed between the Arab bloc and the PUK stipulates power-sharing, where the governorship of Kirkuk will be held by the Kurdish component (PUK) for the first two years, while the presidency of the provincial council will be allocated to the Arab share for two years. The technical deputy governor will be Arab, and the administrative deputy will be Turkmen."

He continued, "There will be five assistant governors: two for Arabs, one each for Kurds, Turkmen, and Christians, with advisors to the governor split similarly."

In response, Kirkuk Provincial Council member from the PUK Parwin Fatih affirmed that "there is an agreement among the winning political blocs in the Kirkuk Provincial Council to share power. This agreement is linked to the size of the electoral quota and the entitlement of the blocs to key positions in Kirkuk."

Fatih told Shafaq News Agency that "the political agreement among the winning blocs in the Kirkuk Provincial Council involves Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen, and is linked to the electoral quota and the entitlement of the blocs to important positions in Kirkuk."

She pointed out that "the delay in forming the local government and the failure to convene the council is due to power-sharing, including who will hold the positions of governor and council president. This is also tied to the fact that the blocs have half of the seats in the provincial council, totaling seven seats, giving them the right to key positions."

Fatih added, "Political agreements in Baghdad are reflected in resolving the Kirkuk issue. If we witness tomorrow's vote for the candidate for the Speaker of the Council of Representatives, we will see a breakthrough in Kirkuk and a speed in its formation."

Responding to a question about the agreement between the PUK and Arab factions in Kirkuk to share power, Fatih stated "The agreements exist, and the PUK believes in partnership and power-sharing in Kirkuk, but according to electoral entitlements."

For over five months, winning blocs in the Kirkuk Provincial Council have failed to agree on a joint proposal to form the local government, amid each insisting on assuming the position of governor. Discussions about rotating the governor's position among Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen blocs remain unresolved, awaiting a third unspecified date set by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.

On February 21 2024, the Prime Minister presided over a meeting attended by all winning blocs, setting a deadline until March 3rd to prepare proposals for forming a new provincial administration and a joint local government.

Dozens of senior administrative positions in Kirkuk are expected to be redistributed among its components, most of which are currently acting, including the Council Chairman and his deputy, the governor and his deputies, the mayors of four districts, and directors of 16 districts, in addition to several public directors.

Kirkuk held its first elections since 2005 on December 18, 2023. Kurds won seven seats, divided into five seats for the PUK and two seats for the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), while the quota (Babylon) won one seat, totaling eight seats. Conversely, Arabs won six seats, distributed as follows: three seats for the Arab Alliance, two for the Leadership Alliance, and one for the Orouba Alliance, while the Unified Turkmen Front won two seats.

The electoral landscape highlights the equality achieved in the number of seats between Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen (8-8), preventing any party from forming a local government.