ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The political bureau of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in a statement on Friday expressed the party’s readiness to hold meetings with all political parties in the Kurdistan Region whose feuding is jeopardising parliamentary elections scheduled for November.
“We express our complete readiness to meet with all the parties, without any difference,” read the statement, explaining that their decision was made with a sense of national responsibility and in line with a call made by KDP leader Masoud Barzani a day earlier.
Barzani, speaking during the inauguration of the Barzani National Memorial in Erbil province's Barzan region, urged all parties to hold comprehensive meetings as soon as possible so problems can be “discussed and resolved sincerely, responsibly and in a Kurdistani manner” before May 18 - six months ahead of the scheduled vote.
The electoral commission has warned that they need six months in order to prepare for the vote. “If all the parties do not come to an agreement before May 18, problems may arise in front of conducting elections. The Kurdistan parliament's presidency must carry out its legal duties and give the amended election law to the commission,” commission spokesperson Sherwan Zrar said in late April.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 18, over a year late. The vote was postponed due to disagreements between the parties over the electoral law and reactivation of the electoral commission.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the KDP’s longtime rival and partner in government, wants to amend the electoral law, which it says is unfair with Sulaimani’s share of parliamentary seats not proportional to its population. It also wants to adopt a multi-constituency system. Seats reserved for minorities are another a sticking point.
“According to the old law, Erbil received five more seats than it was entitled to. Sulaimani received eight fewer seats than it deserved, and Duhok received three more seats than it was entitled to,” Razgar Haji Hama, head of the PUK’s election agency, said on Tuesday.
Tensions between KDP and PUK over the election, as well as transparency around oil revenues and local income in the provinces under their respective influence, have led the PUK to boycott weekly cabinet meetings headed by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
On Monday PM Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, who is a senior PUK member, had their first public meeting in over six months. They agreed to resolve ongoing issues through dialogue and cooperation between all parties.
Despite working together in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often referred to as the “Yellow Zone,” Erbil and Duhok provinces where the KDP dominates, and the “Green Zone,” Sulaimani and Halabja provinces where the PUK rules.
“We express our complete readiness to meet with all the parties, without any difference,” read the statement, explaining that their decision was made with a sense of national responsibility and in line with a call made by KDP leader Masoud Barzani a day earlier.
Barzani, speaking during the inauguration of the Barzani National Memorial in Erbil province's Barzan region, urged all parties to hold comprehensive meetings as soon as possible so problems can be “discussed and resolved sincerely, responsibly and in a Kurdistani manner” before May 18 - six months ahead of the scheduled vote.
The electoral commission has warned that they need six months in order to prepare for the vote. “If all the parties do not come to an agreement before May 18, problems may arise in front of conducting elections. The Kurdistan parliament's presidency must carry out its legal duties and give the amended election law to the commission,” commission spokesperson Sherwan Zrar said in late April.
Parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 18, over a year late. The vote was postponed due to disagreements between the parties over the electoral law and reactivation of the electoral commission.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the KDP’s longtime rival and partner in government, wants to amend the electoral law, which it says is unfair with Sulaimani’s share of parliamentary seats not proportional to its population. It also wants to adopt a multi-constituency system. Seats reserved for minorities are another a sticking point.
“According to the old law, Erbil received five more seats than it was entitled to. Sulaimani received eight fewer seats than it deserved, and Duhok received three more seats than it was entitled to,” Razgar Haji Hama, head of the PUK’s election agency, said on Tuesday.
Tensions between KDP and PUK over the election, as well as transparency around oil revenues and local income in the provinces under their respective influence, have led the PUK to boycott weekly cabinet meetings headed by Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
On Monday PM Barzani and Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani, who is a senior PUK member, had their first public meeting in over six months. They agreed to resolve ongoing issues through dialogue and cooperation between all parties.
Despite working together in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often referred to as the “Yellow Zone,” Erbil and Duhok provinces where the KDP dominates, and the “Green Zone,” Sulaimani and Halabja provinces where the PUK rules.
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