PUK completes preparations for regional parliament elections amidst political tensions
Shafaq News/ The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) on Wednesday announced its readiness to participate in the upcoming regional parliament elections in Kurdistan Region, scheduled for June 10th.
"The Kurdistan Parliament elections will be held as scheduled. Anything else is not an option for us," Bafel Talabani told reporters earlier today.
Deputy Prime Minister of Kurdistan Region, Qubad Talabani, echoed this sentiment during a separate press conference, stating, "The Patriotic Union and its candidates have completed preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for June 10th, and all our procedures are in place to conduct them on time."
He added, "The Patriotic Union is currently in a good position, with its members in high spirits. We have implemented significant internal reforms that will have a major impact on the Union's position in the upcoming phase."
Talabani said that he had "no information on any stance from the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the Kurdistan Region elections on their scheduled date," affirming that "not holding the elections as planned is not a good thing and will cause harm to the Kurdistan Region. We want the elections to take place as scheduled."
On Wednesday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani emphasized the necessity of holding the parliamentary elections in the region with the approval and participation of all Kurdish political parties and factions.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) declared on Monday, March 18, 2024, its boycott of the parliamentary elections in Kurdistan Region scheduled for June, threatening to withdraw from the political process if the State Management Coalition'w member parties do not adhere to the agreements that led to its formation.
The Federal Supreme Court issued a ruling on February 21, 2024, annuling "quota" seats in the Kurdistan region's parliament and made the federal election body in charge of organizing the regional elections.
