A severe political fracture has opened within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) declaring the current legislature invalid. According to Asharq Al-Awsat, PUK leader Bafel Talabani stated at the Sulaymaniyah Strategic Forum on Thursday that the party no longer recognizes the parliament after it was closed by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). He described the KDP’s legislative actions as a collapse in the region's history, accusing a KDP minority of blocking all settlement attempts, including simple photo opportunities, to force its demands. Talabani characterized the area as operating under two competing administrations, with the PUK refusing to engage with a body it views as illegitimate.
KDP President Masoud Barzani has urged both sides to resume dialogue, but PUK senior official Mahmoud Khoshnaw told Asharq Al-Awsat that reconciliation hopes have vanished following the November 4 parliamentary session. Khoshnaw noted that tensions are rising daily, with the PUK prioritizing the protection of constitutional rights over immediate compromise. He emphasized that the current parliament only reflects KDP strength, as other major factions remain excluded, yet he insisted that a diplomatic path remains open. The dispute centers on the allocation of key government positions, a leverage point for both parties that complicates any potential agreement.
External involvement has further complicated the standoff. Talabani criticized US envoy Tom Barrack for intervening in the internal dispute, telling the forum that Washington should understand the local context or withdraw. He explicitly denied being under Iranian influence, stating he is not in anyone's pocket, while praising Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi for his business-minded approach to governance. Political analyst Essam al-Faili told Asharq Al-Awsat that the situation is still manageable, noting that Baghdad opposes administrative fragmentation. He argued that the shared interest in sovereign posts allows for a compromise, even as rhetoric intensifies.
Legal expert Dr. Saif al-Saadi told Asharq Al-Awsat that creating a separate region for Sulaymaniyah and Halabja is constitutionally impossible. However, journalist Montadhar Nasser suggested that such a split might reflect ground realities and allow Baghdad to negotiate with each party separately. Nasser argued that this arrangement could give both Kurdish factions greater freedom to form alliances in the capital without being constrained by the other's conditions, potentially resolving the long-standing governance failures.