PUK abolishes co-presidency system and votes for Bafel Talabani
Shafaq News / The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan announced on Sunday abolishing the co-presidency system, and choosing Bafel Talabani as head of the party.
A statement said that the meeting discussed amending the party's internal system, pointing out that all the required changes were agreed upon, including abolishing the co-presidency system, and choosing Bafel Talabani as head of the party.
Shafaq News agency learned that 89 members of the PUK attended the meeting and voted for Talabani to head the party.
Since October 8th, 2021, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan has been facing a major leadership crisis when the leader Bafel Talabani began efforts to oust Lahur Talabani, his co-leader and cousin.
A source familiar with the matter told Shafaq News Agency that the meeting will settle the co-leadership dispute between the cousins and discuss the compensations to be offered to the dismissed members of the council.
The council will also touch upon a spectrum of issues related to the situation in al-Sulaymaniyah and the Kurdistan region.
"The political crisis of Iraq will be the main focus of the meeting," the source said.
The PUK is the second-largest party in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, and is the historic rival of the larger and politically powerful Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Bafel and Lahur Talabani were selected as party co-leaders in February 2020 after the death of Bafel's father, Jalal Talabani—the former Iraqi president and founder of the PUK, who served as PUK party leader for 42 years.
Initially, the pair aimed to work together to offset the gains of the KDP, which had been on the rise since Jalal Talabani fell ill in 2012.
Three years after Jalal Talabani's death, the party seemed unable to establish a charismatic leader capable of maintaining party unity. The turbulent co-leadership system demonstrated weaknesses and a lack of sustainability in the family-based party.
In October last year, the Talabani's backstage rivalry became the main event, with Bafel directing a series of moves aimed at removing Lahur from power.
