ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Hero Ibrahim Ahmed, a politburo member in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, says her comments on the PUK retaining presidency of Iraq were published without her consent.
On Saturday, a statement attributed to Ahmed was published saying the PUK and its supporters are adamant about retaining the post of Iraqi presidency and don’t want those who have split from the party to be given the post.
“We found it necessary to clarify to the public and members and comrades of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan that writing was the draft of a section of a package concerning the political circumstances of the area, published without the approval and signature of her,” read a statement from Ahmed’s personal office on Monday.
Ahmed is the widow of late PUK leader Jalal Talabani. Her eldest son is Bafel Talabani who holds no official role in government. Her youngest son, Qubad Talabani, is the Kurdistan Regional Government’s deputy Prime Minister and he is heading the PUK ticket for KRG’s parliamentary election set for September 30.
“We reiterate here that her Excellency will express her opinion concerning the decisive questions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the question of the presidency, and the position and share of Kurds in the Iraqi political process in due place and time,” added the statement.
The topic of Iraqi presidency is also heated between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and PUK.
Barham Salih, a longtime PUK politburo member who split from the party in 2017 to form the Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ), announced on Sunday that no one had nominated him for the post of the Iraqi presidency and his party would not participate in the KRG election.
Salih was being touted as a possible Iraqi president. The KDP has also been rumored to be asking for the position of Iraqi president or that of Kirkuk’s governor — posts always held in the “new Iraq” by the PUK.
The next Iraqi president will be by chosen by the speaker of parliament. MP-elects are scheduled to convene at 11 a.m. on Monday. They first must be sworn in and confirmed as eligible members of the next parliament before the first session can convene with its eldest member presiding.
The constitution calls for a speaker to be voted on by secret direct ballot.
On Saturday, a statement attributed to Ahmed was published saying the PUK and its supporters are adamant about retaining the post of Iraqi presidency and don’t want those who have split from the party to be given the post.
“We found it necessary to clarify to the public and members and comrades of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan that writing was the draft of a section of a package concerning the political circumstances of the area, published without the approval and signature of her,” read a statement from Ahmed’s personal office on Monday.
Ahmed is the widow of late PUK leader Jalal Talabani. Her eldest son is Bafel Talabani who holds no official role in government. Her youngest son, Qubad Talabani, is the Kurdistan Regional Government’s deputy Prime Minister and he is heading the PUK ticket for KRG’s parliamentary election set for September 30.
“We reiterate here that her Excellency will express her opinion concerning the decisive questions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, the question of the presidency, and the position and share of Kurds in the Iraqi political process in due place and time,” added the statement.
The topic of Iraqi presidency is also heated between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and PUK.
Barham Salih, a longtime PUK politburo member who split from the party in 2017 to form the Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ), announced on Sunday that no one had nominated him for the post of the Iraqi presidency and his party would not participate in the KRG election.
Salih was being touted as a possible Iraqi president. The KDP has also been rumored to be asking for the position of Iraqi president or that of Kirkuk’s governor — posts always held in the “new Iraq” by the PUK.
The next Iraqi president will be by chosen by the speaker of parliament. MP-elects are scheduled to convene at 11 a.m. on Monday. They first must be sworn in and confirmed as eligible members of the next parliament before the first session can convene with its eldest member presiding.
The constitution calls for a speaker to be voted on by secret direct ballot.
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