Three parties reaffirm opposition stance after PUK–New Generation alliance

SULAYMANIYAH — Three opposition parties in the Kurdistan Parliament said Monday they will remain outside any governing alliance in the Kurdistan Region following a new political agreement between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the New Generation Movement.

The National Stance Movement, the Kurdistan Islamic Union and the Kurdistan Islamic Group said they will not join any political deals or take part in forming the next Kurdistan Regional Government.

Ali Hama Saleh, leader of the National Stance Movement, told 964media that the three parties held meetings over the past two days and reached a joint decision.

“All three sides decided to remain in opposition and not enter into any agreement,” Saleh said. He added that while the parties will coordinate on issues related to the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad, their position in the Kurdistan Region is unchanged.

“Our decision in the Kurdistan Region is clear,” Saleh said. “We will not enter power with the Kurdistan Democratic Party or the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. We will certainly remain in opposition and will not join the government.”

Saleh said the PUK had approached his party about joining an alliance that includes the PUK and the New Generation Movement, but said the proposal was rejected.

The Kurdistan Islamic Union reiterated its position after previously welcoming the PUK–New Generation agreement as a positive step. Party spokesman Salahaddin Babakir said in a statement issued Jan. 17 that the party views “any rapprochement between political forces in the Kurdistan Region positively,” but stressed that it had already decided to stay in opposition.

That decision, he said, remains in place because of continued failures in governance and public services.

Speaking to 964media on Monday, Babakir said the party has not been contacted by the PUK to join the new alliance. He added that while discussions continue about possible parliamentary coordination, no decision has been made to form a joint bloc.

The statements come days after the PUK and the New Generation Movement announced a formal agreement to unite their parliamentary blocs, creating a 38-seat force in the 100-member Kurdistan Parliament elected in October 2024.

In that election, the Kurdistan Democratic Party won 39 seats, the PUK 23 and New Generation 15. The National Stance Movement won four seats, the Kurdistan Islamic Union seven and the Kurdistan Islamic Group three, with the remaining seats held by smaller parties and minority representatives.

Despite multiple rounds of talks between the KDP and the PUK since the election, no agreement has been reached on forming the next Kurdistan Regional Government.

More than 14 months have now passed since the Oct. 20, 2024 election without a cabinet being formed, marking the longest delay since the establishment of the Kurdistan Regional Government. Previous post-election negotiations resulted in governments within months, with the longest earlier delays lasting less than a year.