Kurdish PUK Withdraws From Cabinet, Deepening Rift With Rival KDP
Bafel Talabani declares the legislature illegitimate as the region faces new threats from Iran following the US military withdrawal.
By Sarah Reynolds ·
The Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq faces a fresh internal fracture. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, or PUK, announced on Thursday that it is pulling its ministers from the regional cabinet. This move comes in direct protest against the reactivation of the Kurdistan Parliament. The PUK claims the legislature lacks legitimacy because it proceeded without the PUK's full participation.
Bafel Talabani, the PUK leader, issued a video statement to confirm the decision. He labeled the current administration a failed government. Talabani stated that the PUK leadership decided to withdraw immediately from what he described as the government of Kurdistan. He pledged to use all available resources to support residents in the PUK-controlled areas of Sulaimani and Halabja.
The PUK withdrawal followed a meeting of the party's leadership. It occurred one day after the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party, or KDP, spearheaded an initiative to reconvene the parliament. The KDP secured the support of several minority representatives and smaller parties. Three PUK lawmakers also broke ranks to support the session. This coalition allowed the parliament to meet on Wednesday.
Fifty-two lawmakers attended the session in Erbil. This number narrowly exceeded the 51-member quorum required for the 100-seat legislature. The assembly unanimously elected Vala Farid, a KDP politician, as parliament speaker. Rami Noori, the Christian quota representative, was chosen as deputy speaker. Muna Qahwachi, the Turkmen quota representative, was selected as secretary.
The KDP holds 39 seats in the local parliament. The PUK holds 23 seats. This power imbalance fuels the current standoff. The dispute is not new. In 2017, Talabani and the KDP leadership clashed when Iraqi federal forces attacked Kurds in Kirkuk. At that time, the PUK withdrew from Kirkuk. Analysts believed the PUK had reached a deal with Iran and Baghdad. The PUK has historically maintained closer ties to Iran than its rival.
Iran continues to target the region with drones and missiles. Tehran has also pressured Baghdad to expel Kurdish Iranian opposition groups from the Kurdistan Region. With the US withdrawing its forces from Iraq on September 30, Iran may view the internal division as an opportunity. The goal appears to be dividing and weakening the region to reduce its stability.
Shafaq News in Iraq published an analysis of the situation facing President Nechirvan Barzani. The report argues that Barzani's pragmatic approach, often called strategic patience, has served as a channel for dialogue. However, the analysis suggests this approach may prolong domestic crises. If the strategy remains limited to de-escalation without reform, it could hinder progress.
The article posits that the constraints on Barzani are linked to the shared political responsibility of the governing parties. The issue is not just whether one individual can contain disputes. It is whether the parties are prepared to unify institutions and address underlying causes. Barzani's attempt to keep all sides satisfied may have allowed issues to fester.
US Envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack visited Baghdad on November 5. He met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. Barrack described the Middle East as a Rubik's Cube where every side touches every other. He noted that the region comes together only when nations turn the pieces themselves.
Barrack praised the Iraqi leadership for choosing sovereignty over dependency. He stated that the United States is proud to stand with Iraq. The US aims to deepen economic ties and open the door to American companies and Iraqi talent to build prosperity.
