Coalition for Democracy, Justice to rethink party’s future as leader, founder resigned

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ) has accepted the resignation of its founder and president, Barham Salih, as he decided to rejoin with his former party to be nominated for the post of Iraqi president.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) on Wednesday officially announced they had elected Barham Salih as their nominee for the post of Iraqi President after the PUK Leadership Council approved his return to the party.

Mohammed Raouf, a member of the CDJ, in a statement, confirmed the party had approved the resignation letter from Barham Salih and other members who have decided to join the PUK.

“We hope the personality and political position of Dr. Barham will be utilized to serve the interests of people of Kurdistan, particularly at such sensitive time for Iraq and Kurdistan to go through,” the statement read.

After lengthy talks, Salih and his colleagues have decided to leave the party and rejoin with the PUK “considering the political situation in the Kurdistan Region and the wider region.”

“The Coalition [CDJ] will remain as a political and civil project with the aim of serving the people and promote continued reform.”

The statement revealed that the Coalition’s Council would hold an urgent meeting soon to decide on a mechanism to run the party in the future.

Salih, former Deputy Secretary General of the PUK, resigned from the party in 2017 and declared the formation of the CDJ in 2018, which won two seats in the recent Iraqi elections.

The party decided to participate in the upcoming Kurdistan parliamentary elections on 30 of September, but as discussions started between Salih and his former party, the CDJ chose to boycott the vote.

Following the resignation of its leader, the party has not made any decision as to whether it will participate in the upcoming elections or remain on the sidelines.

Editing by Nadia Riva