PUK leader Talabani announces withdrawal from Iraqi Kurdistan government — Jerusalem Post

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani announced the party's immediate withdrawal from the Iraqi Kurdistan government. He cited the resumption of the regional parliament's work without the PUK's participation, which the party considers illegitimate, as the reason.

“This government has failed. Therefore, the PUK leadership's first decision after this event [the resumption of parliament's work] will be to immediately withdraw from this government, which calls itself the government of Kurdistan,” Talabani said in a video address.

Parliament session in Erbil

As the Jerusalem Post reports, Talabani's statement came after a meeting of the PUK leadership. The day before, the party's political rival, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), initiated the convening of parliament with the support of minority representatives, small parties, and lawmakers who had departed from their parties' positions. They included three PUK representatives.

The parliament session in Erbil was attended by 52 lawmakers — one more than the required quorum of 51 votes for the 100-seat legislative body. They unanimously elected KDP representative Vala Farid as parliament speaker, Christian quota representative Rami Nuri as deputy speaker, and Turkmen quota representative Muna Kahwachi as secretary.

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The KDP holds 39 seats in the Iraqi Kurdistan parliament, while the PUK holds 23.

Talabani's statement on Sulaymaniyah and Halabja

Talabani also said that the PUK would use “all its strength and capabilities” to provide residents of the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja areas with everything necessary.

Against the backdrop of domestic political tensions, the Jerusalem Post notes that Iran continues to strike the region with drones and missiles. The outlet also writes that Tehran pressured Iraq to expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups from Iraqi Kurdistan.