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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A group of seven men were elected to temporarily lead the Change Movement (Gorran) on Sunday as part of the party's promise of "radical change" following a humiliating defeat in the Iraqi parliamentary elections in October.
The temporary council is expected to work with another body, the party's conference committee to make preparation to hold the party's second conference, according to a statement published by the party.
Gorran, which won five seats in 2018, did not win any seats in the October parliamentary elections. The conference is a chance for the party to reorganize and revitalize its efforts for the upcoming Kurdistan parliamentary election.
Following the humiliating defeat in the Iraqi parliamentary elections, all members of the party's governing body, including its top leader, announced their resignation two days after the electoral process.
"We apologize to the Gorran Movement voters and we bear responsibility for the mistakes and shortcomings ... for losing the trust of people," the governing body said at the time. "We say openly that we need change and to fundamentally review the Movement and its policies."
However despite losing the Iraqi elections, Gorran remains a crucial part of the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) current cabinet.
The statements rejected rumors that the party would pull out from the KRG and added that the decision would rest with the new leadership council.
"Until the party makes a final decision regarding staying in the government or withdrawing, our colleagues will represent Gorran in the government and continue their official duties, and whenever the decision to withdraw is made, then our teams will abide," the statement read.
Gorran which split from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan PUK in 2009 went into coalition with the mother party for the 2021 election. Many Gorran activists believed that this was political suicide and some disgruntled members including senior members left the party.
Gorran is a pro-reform party that shook the foundation of the ruling parties during the 2009 Kurdistan election by winning 25 seats in the 111 regional assembly in Erbil. The PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) together received only 59 seats.
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