The PUK wants to hold elections, KDP avoids it

Reports 01:05 PM - 2023-05-01

PUK logo on the right and KDP logo on the left.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) insists on conducting elections on time and sees the UN's proposal on minority seats in the Kurdistan Parliament as the solution to the minority issue.
 
To address the issue, PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani had previously conveyed the PUK's readiness and urged the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to begin elections-related negotiations. The electoral agencies of the PUK and KDP met multiple times to discuss this matter.

The PUK has made sacrifices for democracy

Salar Sarhad, a member of the PUK Leadership Council and the head of the Kurdistan Relations Board of the PUK Relations Bureau, told PUKMEDIA: "The PUK has made every effort and sacrificed to achieve democracy, especially with regards to the electoral process, and our demands are the same as the demands of the people and other parties for fair elections."
 
"The continuation of meetings between the PUK and KDP electoral agencies is at the request of the PUK, but the KDP is not taking the necessary steps for this crucial process and is attempting to hide," Sarhad stated.

The PUK opposes conventional elections

The PUK desires that the next elections reflect democracy and is opposed to holding elections similar to those in the past.
 
Sarhad stated: "The PUK and all other parties, except for the KDP, desire to hold free and fair elections in the Kurdistan Region and demonstrate the true face of democracy, as opposed to what we have witnessed in previous elections."
 
He added: "The PUK has never been in favor of reducing the minorities' seats, but it has demanded that the minorities have real representatives in parliament, and at the same time, we accept the UN proposal regarding the distribution of minorities' seats among the provinces."

Regarding the elections, the KDP's actions and discourse differ

The KDP is opposed to multi-constituency elections, so as a result, it creates challenges and obstacles to the process and wishes to continue rigging its program via single-constituency elections.
 
Latif Nerway, director of the Coordination and Monitoring Board of the PUK's Election Agency, stated to PUKMEDIA: "The KDP is verbally in favor of holding elections, but in practice, it creates obstacles and scenarios for the process." "For instance, when preparing and negotiating for elections, the KDP makes harsh statements, muddles the process, and distracts public opinion with trivial matters."
 
"The KDP supports single-constituency elections because there are numerous opportunities for fraud in a system where the votes of some provinces go to another province. Obviously, we cannot hold a fair election with a single constituency," said Nerway.

The KDP acts contrary to the agreements

The KDP does not intend to keep its election promises and acts against the agreement between the PUK Electoral Agency and the KDP Electoral Bureau.
 
"The KDP has withdrawn from holding elections and all agreements it had made with parties in general and the PUK in particular, and it is unenthusiastic about fulfilling its obligations. They have even rejected the UN's proposal on the minorities' seats and disfavor the distribution of the minorities' seats across constituencies," Nerway said.
 
"Although the issue of voter registration, four constituencies, and the reactivation of the electoral commission of the Kurdistan Region was settled during the meetings of the PUK Election Agency and the KDP Election Bureau, the current situation is the exact opposite of the PUK-KDP agreement, and this demonstrates that the KDP refuses to hold elections," he added.

UNAMI has provided its perspective on the minorities

UNAMI has submitted its proposal on the minorities' seats, but the KDP is silent. Except for the KDP, the parties support the UN's proposal for solving the electoral crisis in the Kurdistan Region.
 
Earlier, the head of the PUK faction in the Kurdistan Parliament, Ziad Jabar, stated to PUKMEDIA: "UNAMI's proposal for the minorities' seats is the proposal of the PUK and several other political parties in the Kurdistan Region that have been previously discussed, but the KDP remains silent."
 
"Several political forces in the Kurdistan Region, including the PUK, have previously submitted a plan for the elections in which all communities were consulted: UNAMI has made a similar proposal," he continued. "What continues to remain is the KDP's response on this issue, but they have remained silent, so we are awaiting their stance and a meeting on it."

Minority seats are a source of dispute between the PUK and the KDP: the UN has mediated the dispute, conveyed its proposals to both parties and urged the distribution of minority seats among provincial constituencies.
 
Out of the 111 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament, 11 are reserved for quota seats: five for Turkmen, five for Christians, and one for Armenians. Minorities have long complained that those appointed to parliament are not their genuine representatives and have accused the KDP of controlling their parliamentary seats.



PUKMEDIA