Kurdistan
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) logos. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The election agencies of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) will meet and settle all disputes concerning the upcoming parliamentary elections “soon”, the head of the PUK bloc in the Kurdish parliament told Rudaw on Wednesday.
Ziad Jabar, head of the PUK bloc in the Kurdistan Region parliament, said that the election agencies were set to meet this week but have not agreed on a timing , although the expectation is for the meeting to occur in the next few days.
Similar thoughts were echoed by the KDP election agency spokesperson Hawar Mohammad.
“We assure you that the topic, in all its details, will be settled soon,” Jabar told Rudaw’s Nazanin Goran, adding that it was not guaranteed the two parties would reach an agreement in the upcoming meeting and will most likely require several other audiences before coming to an agreement.
Disagreements between the KDP, PUK, and other blocs in the Kurdistan Region’s parliament over the current elections law and electoral commission prevented the carrying out of the parliamentary elections last year, leading the legislative body to controversially extend its term for an extra year.
The blocs are yet to reach an understanding on this issue, which could cause a further delay in the elections process.
The Kurdistan Region’s ruling parties have also had disagreements in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over the past few months, relating to the distribution of funds to the provinces and the transparency of revenue in their areas of control.
Steps towards rapprochement have been made in recent days, with the PUK team returning to KRG cabinet meetings for the first time since December, as well as a meeting between the two parties’ politburos where they stressed the need to hold the elections on time.
“We, as the KDP, have made all the preparations to participate in the elections on the date set by the Kurdistan Region’s president,” said Mohammad, adding that the PUK and the KDP have already resolved a vast majority of their disputes regarding the elections in previous meetings of their electoral agencies.
Repeated calls from diplomatic missions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have also encouraged the reconciliation between the KDP and the PUK, urging the parties to settle their differences as to not delay the electoral process any longer. The missions have commended the recent efforts of the two parties towards reaching an understanding.
The Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections are set to be held on November 18, over a year removed from its originally scheduled date.
Ziad Jabar, head of the PUK bloc in the Kurdistan Region parliament, said that the election agencies were set to meet this week but have not agreed on a timing , although the expectation is for the meeting to occur in the next few days.
Similar thoughts were echoed by the KDP election agency spokesperson Hawar Mohammad.
“We assure you that the topic, in all its details, will be settled soon,” Jabar told Rudaw’s Nazanin Goran, adding that it was not guaranteed the two parties would reach an agreement in the upcoming meeting and will most likely require several other audiences before coming to an agreement.
Disagreements between the KDP, PUK, and other blocs in the Kurdistan Region’s parliament over the current elections law and electoral commission prevented the carrying out of the parliamentary elections last year, leading the legislative body to controversially extend its term for an extra year.
The blocs are yet to reach an understanding on this issue, which could cause a further delay in the elections process.
The Kurdistan Region’s ruling parties have also had disagreements in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over the past few months, relating to the distribution of funds to the provinces and the transparency of revenue in their areas of control.
Steps towards rapprochement have been made in recent days, with the PUK team returning to KRG cabinet meetings for the first time since December, as well as a meeting between the two parties’ politburos where they stressed the need to hold the elections on time.
“We, as the KDP, have made all the preparations to participate in the elections on the date set by the Kurdistan Region’s president,” said Mohammad, adding that the PUK and the KDP have already resolved a vast majority of their disputes regarding the elections in previous meetings of their electoral agencies.
Repeated calls from diplomatic missions in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have also encouraged the reconciliation between the KDP and the PUK, urging the parties to settle their differences as to not delay the electoral process any longer. The missions have commended the recent efforts of the two parties towards reaching an understanding.
The Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections are set to be held on November 18, over a year removed from its originally scheduled date.
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