At a Glance

• The PUK Leadership Council is scheduled to meet this Thursday following today’s meeting of the parliament.

• On Wednesday, the Kurdistan Parliament resumed its session with 52 lawmakers to elect Vala Fareed as Speaker and Rami Nouri as Deputy Speaker.

• The PUK and other major political blocs boycotted the assembly, with PUK spokesperson Karwan Gaznay condemning the meeting as illegal and an attempt to bypass national consensus.

• KDP spokesperson defended the vote as a legal and democratic process.

The Leadership Council of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is scheduled to meet following the election of the parliamentary presidency.

Key Statements and Focus Areas

• Channel8 has learned that the Leadership Council of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan will convene on Thursday under the chairmanship of party President Bafel Jalal Talabani. 

• At the request of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc and several other parties, the Kurdistan Parliament reactivated without the participation of the major blocs.

FYI

The Kurdistan Region Parliament held a session on Wednesday with 52 lawmakers participating to elect its presidency, appointing Vala Fareed as Speaker, Rami Nouri as Deputy Speaker, and Muna Qahwachi as Secretary. 

The session proceeded after the KDP and minority caucuses formally requested to continue the initial sitting that had remained open since December 2, 2024.

Major political blocs did not attend the session, stating that the meeting bypassed national consensus and lacked legitimacy. 

While Parliament Diwan Chief Ardalan Muhammad noted the absence of full cross-party attendance, Speaker Fareed directed all factions to submit nominees for the Legal Committee by next Monday.

PUK spokesperson Karwan Gaznay stated yesterday that the Kurdistan Parliament meeting is illegal, describing it as an attempt to impose the will of a single political party while disregarding genuine partnership. 

Gaznay called on all regional factions to boycott the assembly, asserting, "We appeal to every loyal individual and national force that cares about the entity of the Kurdistan Region not to participate." 

The PUK spokesperson rejected the legitimacy of the outcome, adding, "If the principle of democracy is to influence the decisions of parliamentarians through bribery, threats, and psychological pressure, then within that cartoonish framework, we will not recognize any parliament or government that results from such meetings."

Meanwhile, KDP spokesperson Mahmoud Mohammed stated that the session was held "in the presence of a majority of lawmakers" and maintained that the parliamentary presidency was elected through "a legal and democratic process." Mohammed emphasized that the activation of the legislature was not aimed at any specific group, expressing hope that "the factions of other parties will make a positive decision to participate in protecting the legitimacy and entity of the Kurdistan Region."

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