Kurdistan Islamic Union's December congress to 'inject new blood' into party

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region  – The Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) has brought forward its party congress to “inject new blood” after losing its spot as top Islamic party in last year’s Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections. 

The KIU Leadership Council issued a statement on Saturday announcing it will hold its eighth congress by the end of December, where it hopes to set out “strategies for the next phase”

Party officials told Rudaw that the congress is expected to be held on December 28 and 29.

December is becoming month of party reforms, with the Patriotic Union Kurdistan (PUK) due to hold its long-delayed controversial congress on December 21.

“Due to the election results, and a monitoring of domestic party performance, we felt that the congress needed to be held earlier, [by] six months, to rectify the issues,” Jamal Kochar, KIU MP in the Iraqi parliament told Rudaw English on Sunday.

In the September  2018 Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections, the KIU’s share of 11 seats in the 111-seat chamber was cut to five. Meanwhile, Komal, the second biggest Islamic party, replaced the KIU as Kurdistan’s biggest Islamic party with seven seats in parliament.

The KIU, when first founded in 1994 during the chaos of Kurdish civil war, worked on proselytizing work among Kurds and acted as fierce opposition to the established Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). It is linked to the global Muslim Brotherhood movement, and it is largely considered its Kurdish franchise. 

Voters punished the party in last year’s elections for perceived silence on a wide range of issues, including the closure of parliament and salary cuts across the region. 

Old established parties, like KIU, need a change of mechanism to “be compatible with this modern era”, Kochar added.  “There is a new generation now. There is need for new blood.”

“We need the wisdom and experience of the old generation, joined by the passion of the new generation,” said Kochar, drawing attention to the example of 92-year old Malaysian Prime Minister Mahatir Mohammed.

This way, they are preparing a new generation of leaders, that understand the history and experience of the party, and at the same time bring new ideas to the table, creating a “leadership legacy”.

The majority of the Kurdistan Region’s population were born in the 1990’s, and now they form a large bloc of voters in the Region. Many suffer from unemployment, but they have gone through the rapid era of globalization.

There are new social phenomena that need new approaches by  the KIU, Kochar added.

“There is increasing divorce, the issue of drugs has plagued the youth. The values of the society have changed. Globalism has brought the good and the bad. If the government doesn’t address it, then others need to work on the bad aspects of globalism,” Kochar asserted.

The party, which has largely focused on political issues, is now hoping to tackle social problems and call people to Islam, according to Kochar
Only “30%” of the party capacity should be dedicated to politics,” he argued.

“There is a new generation whose opinions, in the name of liberty, globalism, has changed. KIU needs [to] seriously address this, not just work on politics,” the MP added.

Although the party is keen to turn over a new leaf, its leadership is likely to remain unchanged, with current leader  Salahaddin Bahadin widely expected to once again stand for the leadership.

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