Kurdistan
Lahur Sheikh Jangi (left) and Bafel Talabani greeting supporters in Sulaimani on PUK Martyrs' Day on November 21, 2019. (Photo via Lahur Sheikh Jangi's social media)
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The PUK General Leadership announced on Saturday that the party will pursue a co-leadership system, with cousins Lahur Sheikh Jangi and Bafel Talabani being the strongest candidates to lead the party.
"The post of the secretary general of the PUK will be eliminated, to be replaced by a co-leadership system in which two to three presidents will be chosen for the PUK," Mustafa Chawrash, the interim head of the PUK General Leadership Council told reporters following a meeting of the party's highest body.
Rudaw has learned from credible sources that Bafel, son of the party's founder Jalal Talabani, and his cousin Lahur are the two strongest candidates to become the new co-presidents of the PUK.
There are also rumors that Barham Salih, current president of Iraq and senior PUK leader, could also become a co-president. The matter has not yet been decided on.
"We have agreed on the PUK's leadership structure, but not on how many co-leaders the party will have, two or three," Chawrash explained.
The leadership council will continue its meeting tomorrow to make a decision.
Farid Assasard, a member of the General Leadership Council, told Rudaw that the presidents and heads of the party's internal structures will be elected starting next week.
On December 21, following years of delay, the PUK held a contentious party congress, the first since the death of beloved party founder Mam Jalal in 2017.
Party rivalry and a host of other issues had prevented the congress from being held until this year. About 1,000 party members were elected into the congress. Based on a vote, the PUK formed the Supreme Political Council, which will be headed by Kosrat Rasul Ali, formerly acting leader of the party.
The Supreme Political Council acts mostly in an advisory role, but has veto power over certain decisions and acts as the PUK's official representation.
By giving them the most votes, the party congress recognized the significant influence that Lahur, incumbent head of PUK's counterterrorism forces, and Talabani held within the party.
However, other wings of the party have resisted turning the party into a family dynasty.
Reporting by Falah Najim.
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