PUK fails to elect ‘interim leadership’

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region – The PUK has failed once again to elect an interim leadership to run the party in the run up for the party’s congress expected to take place on March 5.

The office of the acting head, Kosrat Rasul, said in a statement that they will “continue” their meetings to put in place a “firm” program for the party with regard to the future of the Kurdistan Region and the party’s congress.

The statement said that they will make all efforts to “include all [PUK] comrades,” to prepare the party for a “new phase” of their political activities in the Kurdish Region.

Barzan Ahmad, leadership member of the ruling PUK, confirmed to Rudaw that they “postponed” the Saturday meeting to an unknown date, adding that they will decide Saturday night on setting a date for a future leadership meeting.

The Leadership Council unsuccessfully tried at least twice on Saturday to convene and pass a final decision on the issue.

Rewaz Fayaq, A PUK leadership member, said on Thursday that they would elect a 10-member interim leadership on Saturday. She also said that the Leadership Council decided with a ”majority” vote to hold the congress on March 5, the anniversary of the Kurdish uprising against the then Iraqi regime in 1991.

Rasul, who became the acting head following the death of the party’s founder Jalal Talabani in October, is to head the new interim leadership, a new executive body that is aimed to replace the politburo office.

Fayaq said that the PUK failed to elect the new leadership on Thursday because 12 leadership members did not attend the meeting.

Mala Bakhtiyar, who self-describe himself as the executive head of the politburo office, is among leadership members who have opposed dissolving the politburo and electing an interim leadership.

The PUK, one of the two ruling parties that form the Kurdistan Regional Government, has faced a series of crises since last year such as the loss of the party’s stronghold of Kirkuk to Iraqi forces on October 16, a loss the PUK has largely been held responsible for.