One Year On: PUK Reaffirms Commitment to Forming a Service-Oriented Government

Reports 11:28 AM - 2025-10-20

PUK President Cast His Vote at a School in Sulaymaniyah.

Today marks the first anniversary of the elections for the sixth term of the Kurdistan Parliament. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) secured 23 seats, receiving 410,000 votes.

Ahead of the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections, PUK President Bafel Jalal Talabani reaffirmed the party’s commitment to good governance, accountability, and safeguarding Kurdish interests. Speaking at a public event, he said:
"The government must serve the people, and the PUK is your power in Baghdad. We safeguard the security of all parts of Iraq — that is why we are respected and our voice is heard in Baghdad. We know that things are not as they should be, and the PUK’s programme is to correct the shortcomings created by others."

Reflecting on Last Year’s Elections

Last year, President Bafel cast his ballot at Rawshan Badrkhan High School in the presence of media representatives, urging all voters to participate and improve governance in the Kurdistan Region. He stated: "Our message to voters and all Kurdish citizens is to put an end to this authoritarian rule."

Qubad Talabani, speaking to the media after voting at the same school, encouraged citizens to head to the polls, saying: "Rest assured, this election will bring about change. Today marks the beginning of the process to end the rule of those who have betrayed this nation."

PUK’s Commitment to Correcting Shortcomings

On 18 October, 2025, President Bafel inaugurated the first carnival in Sulaymaniyah to present the PUK’s candidates for the upcoming elections. He introduced candidates from List 222 across Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Kirkuk, Duhok, and Diyala, urging voters to surpass previous vote counts. He emphasised that the PUK delivers on its promises and aims to address the shortcomings left by others.

Highlighting the PUK’s role in defending Kurdish rights in Baghdad, he noted the party’s contribution to drafting the Iraqi Constitution and safeguarding Kurdistan’s interests. He pledged that the PUK would only participate in governments committed to correcting mistakes and serving the people, reaffirming the party’s responsible management of the oil portfolio.

Concluding his address, President Bafel called on the people of Kurdistan and Iraq to unite in support of the PUK, urging voters to “turn the ballot boxes green” for the party, which he described as representing courage, service, and national responsibility.



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