Kurdistan
Iraqi President Barham Salih during an interview with The Associated Press in Baghdad, Iraq, Friday, March 29, 2019.Photo: Khalid Mohammed/AP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s General Leadership Council is to elect a new Secretary-General next week.
So far, Iraqi President Barham Salih is the most likely candidate for the role, while PUK founder Jalal Talabani’s son Bafel is expected to be appointed deputy.
The PUK held its fourth congress in Sulaimani last month after years of delay, but concluded without a clear leadership in place.
The second dominant party in the Kurdistan Region after the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the PUK had previously failed to hold its fourth congress due to internal issues, the death of Jalal Talabani in 2017 and the war against the Islamic State (ISIS). Its last congress was held on June 1, 2010.
Last month, Sheikh Jaafar Mustafa, senior PUK leader and Vice President of Kurdistan Region told Rudaw that Barham Salih is the "suitable person" to replace former Secretary General Jalal Talabani.
The PUK has now elected 124 members as members of its leadership council.
The council first met on January 14, when they established a 20-member committee to craft the party’s internal strategy.
Arez Abdullah, a member of the council, told Rudaw on January 15 that its next meeting is set to be held on January 25, where a party constitution will also be voted on.
The PUK was founded in 1975 by Jalal Talabani, but was left rudderless when the charismatic leader fell ill in 2012 and died in 2017. With his passing, multiple personalities vied to lead the party.
During the PUK congress, Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Rewaz Fayaq, Iraqi President Barham Salih, and Kurdistan Regional Government Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani were appointed to the General Leadership Council in recognition of their political positions, and a vote was held to fill its remaining 118 spots.
Chawrash told Rudaw that the number of members of the council will not be increased.
However, council member Zubir Osman council told Rudaw that they are still to discuss the possibilities of expanding their ranks.
“We in the leadership council [are] still to discuss the chances that pave the way for more members to join the leadership council, but this has to be done lawfully,” Osman said.
Osman concluded that the leadership council is expected to have long talks about the next secretary general, with “a lot of scenarios” to consider.
The PUK is the second largest party in the Kurdistan Region. The party has 21 of 111 seats in the Kurdistan Region parliament, but only 18 of 329 seats in Baghdad.
Translated by Lawk Ghafuri
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