For Kurds, Iraqi president post more important than parliament speaker: KDP

Representatives of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party, left for Baghdad on Tuesday to meet with various political parties about the formation of the next Iraqi government.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Representatives of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) left for Baghdad on Tuesday to meet with various political parties about the formation of the next Iraqi government following May 12 parliamentary elections.

In a live interview with Kurdistan 24 at Erbil International Airport (EIA), KDP politburo secretary Fazil Mirani, who leads the delegation, said that the first meeting would be with Muqtada al-Sadr, whose Sairoon Coalition swept the election, winning 54 seats out of the Iraqi Parliament’s total 329.

He stated that the negotiations in Baghdad would be based on creating a “new Iraq,” and the Kurds must be part of the process of decision–making in the country.

“We have no veto on anyone, and we will meet all the blocs in Baghdad regarding the formation of the new Iraqi government,” Mirani stated.

Kurds will no longer be treated as “second-class” citizens in the country, said Mirani.

The KDP, led by former President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, got a majority of votes in the Kurdistan Region, securing 25 seats and becoming the fifth largest bloc in the country.

“Our main demand is agreement and partnership in the new Iraqi government cabinet,” Mirani added.

Asked about whether the Kurds in the new government will demand the Parliamentary Speaker post instead of the largely-symbolic Iraqi Presidency, the KDP official said it is important for the Kurds to hold the Presidency post.

“It is true that the Presidency post is merely symbolic, but for Kurds, the post would be more important than the Parliament’s presidency.”

Mirani asserted that the Parliament Speaker post would be good for the Kurds only if they have a strong parliamentary bloc to back the speaker.

According to the system of power-sharing in Iraq, the Prime Minister's post is held by a member of the Shia community, a Sunni Iraqi is speaker of parliament, and a Kurd holds the presidency.

Currently, there are tensions between different parties in the Kurdistan Region, especially after several of them have rejected the results of recent elections, claiming that massive fraud has taken place due to in new electronic devices introduced that were used to establish voters' identification and to tally votes.

Kurdish parties combined account for more than 55 seats in Iraqi Parliament.

Regarding who might be nominated by Kurdish parties to be the next President of Iraq, the senior KDP leader said that it would be determined in future meetings between them.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), currently the second largest Kurdish bloc with 18 seats, has held the post since 2006. Mirani said that the PUK was not guaranteed to hold it again.

“The post of Iraqi President is not assigned to a specific [Kurdish] party forever."

Editing by John J. Catherine