Kurdistan’s PUK ends alliance with KDP party

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) headed by Jalal Talabani, a former Iraqi president, ended on Tuesday a strategic alliance formed in 2007 with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by Kurdish President Massoud Barzani.

The statement pointed out that the political and economic crisis in Kurdistan and regional developments have forced the party to take this decision.

“We must share governance to resolve Kurdistan’s political and economic crisis and increase the effectiveness of the fight against the Islamic State,” it added.

The party said in its statement that the presidency should be given to the party “which receives the highest votes in democratic and civilian elections” and the prime minister’s post should “go to the party that comes second”, and “the parliament speaker’s post to the third party”, adding that the remaining positions be distributed to the other parties.

PUK and KDP signed a strategic agreement in 2007 for the joint management of the government and other managerial positions in the region.