PUK praises President Barzani's role in the Kurdistan elections file
Shafaq News/ The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) confirmed on Wednesday that Kurdish President Nechirvan Barzani is actively working on restoring "normalization" among political parties regarding the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.
Saadi Ahmed Pira, the PUK's spokesperson, told Shafaq News agency that "the President's endeavors are contingent upon the response of political parties, given his widespread acceptability, and he is diligently working towards normalizing the situation. His role in the Kurdistan parliamentary elections file is significant, and we anticipate positive developments."
The PUK leader expected that "new decisions stricter than those of the Federal Supreme Court will be issued if the elections are not held, leading to instability, and we will lose the support and trust of friends worldwide. Additionally, we will also lose trust in Baghdad."
Unlike PUK, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) decided to boycott the elections but denied requesting election postponement from June 10.
The Independent High Electoral Commission in Erbil confirmed that the Party did not submit its participation documents regarding participating in the parliamentary elections.
On Tuesday, Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani underscored addressing technical, constitutional, and legal challenges related to the Kurdistan region elections, reiterating the Party's commitment to upholding legitimacy and supporting transparent electoral processes.
"We believe that it is in the interest of our people and our country not to comply with an unconstitutional decision and a system imposed from outside the will of the people of Kurdistan and its constitutional institutions and not to participate in elections conducted contrary to the law, the constitution, and under the umbrella of an imposed electoral system." A KDP statement said.
KDP is a prominent political force in Iraqi Kurdistan. It is the oldest Kurdish political Party in Iraq.
In the current Kurdish Parliament, the Party holds 45 seats out of 111, followed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan with 21 seats and the Gorran Movement with 12 seats.
Notably, the political landscape of Iraqi Kurdistan is marked by a complex interplay between two major players: the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Over time, their relationship has shifted between cooperation and competition, reflecting their shared history of advocating for Kurdish rights in Iraq.
After the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, a fragile peace was established through a power-sharing agreement that allocated governmental roles, maintaining some stability in the Kurdistan Region. Yet, underlying tensions persisted, with accusations of KDP dominance and PUK marginalization.
Recently, tensions have resurged, especially after the Iraqi Supreme Court issued іn February a ruling that amended the Kurdistan Region's election law, canceling 11 seats reserved for minority groups and altering the electoral system.
The ruling was prompted by a lawsuit from the Patriotic Union оf Kurdistan (PUK), the KDP's historic rival and junior coalition partner in government.
