On Monday, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Masoud Barzani, invited the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, led by Bafel Talabani, to sit at a dialogue table in order to address the problems and put an end to the political crisis in the region.
Barzani's call came five days after the first session of the regional parliament was held, which was boycotted by the National Union Party, and deepened the state of division in the region that has been going on for years, especially between the two main parties, the Democratic Party and the Union Party.
Barzani said in his call, “In light of the current political developments and conditions, all parties must keep in mind that the interest of the people of Kurdistan is greater and transcends any other interest or goal.”
Barzani added, “Based on this principle, I call on the brothers in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan to sit at the dialogue table with the Kurdistan Democratic Party in order to address the problems and put an end to the political crisis in the Kurdistan region.”
He stressed “the sincere desire for other political parties in the region to also participate in the course of the political process, and to work together to form an expanded and national government that meets the demands and aspirations of the people of Kurdistan.”
Last Wednesday, the Kurdistan Regional Parliament held its first session after a two-year suspension as a result of disputes between the “Democratic” and “Union” parties. It succeeded in electing a speaker of Parliament alongside his deputy and the Parliament’s secretary. The three elected members worked within the space of belonging and loyalty to the “Democratic Party,” which sparked intense anger within the circles of the “Union” Party.
Although the “Democratic Party” obtained 39 out of 100 total seats in Parliament, compared to the “Union” obtaining 23 seats, the equation of ruling power in Kurdistan has always taken into account the areas of influence enjoyed by the two parties, and in many cases is not based on the size of parliamentary representation, as the “Democratic Party” dominates the governorates of Erbil and Dohuk, while the “National Union” enjoys broad influence in the governorates of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, and large parts of the region, and subject it to its control.
Youssef Goran, a member of the political bureau of the Union Party, says: “The Kurdistan region is not just a few parliamentary seats that can be collected mathematically, but rather it is a political experience founded on the principle of balance and complex partnership. Any attempt to manage its institutions away from the understanding between the two main powers opens the door to a crisis much deeper than what the planners of this session envisioned.”
The Union Party took a set of “angry” measures after the parliament session was held, including “not recognizing the legitimacy of the session,” describing it as “a coup against legitimacy and a unilateral step.” He also threatened to withdraw from the regional government, and withdrew his representatives from the regional presidency and other joint institutions. He threatened to divide the region and go to the option of self-administration, whereby he would manage the areas under his influence (Sulaymaniyah Governorate and its surrounding areas) completely independently.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Masrour Barzani, arrived on Monday in the capital, Baghdad, at the head of a high-ranking government delegation, to hold discussions with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and leaders of political forces regarding the region’s share in the federal budget for the year 2027.
In the midst of partisan disputes, the torrential rains and torrential rains that fell on the Kurdistan region during the last two days, especially Erbil Governorate, caused massive losses of life and property. Erbil Governor, Omid Khoshnaw, announced the formation of a joint committee to assess the damage resulting from the floods that swept through the governorate’s capital.
On Monday, residents of the “Tadamon” neighborhood, south of the Syrian capital, Damascus, discovered a mass grave in the Al-Shuhada (Al-Sulaikha) area, bringing the number of graves discovered in the same neighborhood to eight graves, the day after the Ministry of Justice referred Amjad Youssef, nicknamed the “Butcher of Solidarity,” to the investigating judge in preparation for his trial. The remains of more than five victims were found in the new mass grave.
The suffering of the displaced in the Gaza Strip is worsening with the continuing rains, which turn the displacement camps into pools of water and mud, and seep into the worn-out tents, threatening to drown dozens of residents. Civil Defense reported the death of 5 people, including 3 children, as a result of a sand cliff collapsing on the tents of displaced people in a shelter center south of the city of Deir al-Balah.
