New Generation alliance with PUK focused on reform, not targeting any party: Deputy leader

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The deputy leader of the opposition New Generation Movement said that his party’s emerging alliance with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is not aimed at targeting any specific political force, stressing that the partnership is focused on governance reform and public services in both the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad.

Rebwar Awrahman, deputy leader of the New Generation Movement and head of the movement’s negotiating delegation, confirmed that the first meeting between the delegations of the two sides was held in Sulaimani on Thursday, two days after the parties' leaders met to form an alliance that could decide the Kurdistan Region’s cabinet and to choose Iraq’s president

Speaking to Rudaw’s Nwenar Fatih in an interview on Thursday, Awrahman said that they have "prepared drafts for two packages with the PUK. One package is specific to forming the Kurdistan Regional Government, and the other is for political work, both in the Kurdistan Region and in Baghdad."

Awrahman also said that the alliance "is not just for the Kurdistan Region; if implemented, it will also be applied in Baghdad in the coming stage," adding that a formal agreement could be signed "next week."

"In the meeting between the PUK and New Generation negotiating delegations, there was no discussion whatsoever regarding shares or the distribution of posts in the next government cabinet," Awrahman said, adding that the discussions focused on "the agenda and the fundamental points of the agreement related to public services, solving people's problems, the Kurdistan Region's budget, and activating institutions - above all, the Kurdistan Parliament."

According to Awrahman, the alliance could reshape the parliamentary landscape.

"After signing and implementing the agreement, two blocs will emerge in the Kurdistan Parliament: one will be the New Generation and PUK alliance bloc, and the other will be the Kurdistan Democratic Party bloc," he said, referring to the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).

Awrahman rejected claims that the alliance was linked to the arrest of New Generation leader Shaswar Abdulwahid.

"A year ago, New Generation officially announced its project for an alliance with all political parties except the Kurdistan Democratic Party. What is happening now is not a new project for the New Generation and has nothing to do with the case of Shaswar Abdulwahid," he said.