Leaked Document Purports to Detail Secret PUK–New Generation Pact

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A former senior New Generation Movement (NGM) official has published what he describes as a confidential agreement between the movement's leader, Shaswar Abdulwahid, and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) President Bafel Talabani, introducing a new point of contention into the Kurdistan Region's already complex post-election political landscape.

Sebur Mantk, the former head of the New Generation Movement's Erbil office, released the document on Thursday, alleging that it outlines reciprocal political, legal and commercial commitments negotiated while Abdulwahid was in detention.

The document has circulated amid continuing negotiations over the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government's Tenth Cabinet and months of political deadlock following the October 2024 parliamentary elections.

The disclosure comes against the backdrop of an alliance between the PUK and the New Generation Movement that has already prompted extensive political debate.

According to earlier Kurdistan24 reporting, the partnership altered parliamentary calculations at a time when the Kurdistan Region has yet to reactivate parliament or complete negotiations to establish a new cabinet.

The alliance has also generated internal resignations within the New Generation Movement and intensified debate over the future direction of opposition politics.

Read More: PUK-NGM Pact Tests Opposition Unity and Political Credibility

Within that broader context, the newly published document has drawn attention because it purports to describe the conditions underpinning the relationship between the two political forces.

According to the document released by Mantk, the NGM Head, Shaswar Abdulwahid, allegedly sought a series of guarantees related to legal, financial and commercial matters.

The published document states that these included the closure of legal cases connected to his past and current activities, the restoration of previously seized assets, assistance in securing a ministerial position within Iraq's federal government, and measures concerning the Chavy Land project, including preventing further legal complaints related to the development.

The document further alleges that Abdulwahid sought broader guarantees for the protection of his family's commercial interests and personal security, as well as continued support for ongoing business activities.

The same document alleges that Talabani, in return, sought extensive political commitments from the New Generation Movement.

According to the published document, these alleged conditions included ending negotiations with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) regarding formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government's next cabinet, aligning the New Generation Movement's 15 parliamentary seats with the PUK's legislative position, relinquishing any ministerial allocations secured by the movement in favor of the PUK, and coordinating future parliamentary and political decisions with the PUK's broader strategy.

The document also alleges that New Generation-affiliated media outlets would refrain from criticizing PUK policies or members of the Talabani family while concentrating criticism on the Kurdistan Regional Government and the KDP.

It further claims that the movement's external political engagement would be expected to mirror the PUK's diplomatic approach.

The publication of the document has renewed attention on an alliance that has already transformed political calculations in the Kurdistan Region.

According to Kurdistan24's earlier analysis, the cooperation between the PUK and the New Generation Movement emerged shortly after Abdulwahid's detention in Sulaimani and his subsequent release.

The sequence of events has fueled political debate among supporters and critics alike, although competing interpretations of the alliance remain sharply divided.

Supporters of the partnership have argued, according to Kurdistan24 reporting, that cooperation between parliamentary blocs is a legitimate feature of democratic politics and could facilitate negotiations over government formation.

Critics, however, contend that the alliance has complicated the movement's long-standing anti-establishment identity and risks undermining public confidence among voters who backed it as an alternative to the Region's traditional governing parties.

The political repercussions have extended beyond inter-party negotiations.

Kurdistan24 previously reported that several senior New Generation officials resigned following announcement of the alliance.

Among them was Bashdar Sangawi, the movement's coordinator in the Garmian region, who publicly criticized the agreement and questioned whether it remained consistent with the principles on which the movement had built its support.

Mantk himself has previously alleged that the alliance was linked to arrangements surrounding Abdulwahid's detention, claims that have become part of the wider political debate but remain contested.

The alliance has also intensified discussion about parliamentary legitimacy and coalition-building after the October 2024 elections.

Kurdistan24 reported that parliament has remained inactive while negotiations over the formation of the Tenth Cabinet continue, leaving key legislative and executive processes on hold.

By bringing the New Generation Movement's parliamentary bloc into closer coordination with the PUK, the agreement altered the balance of negotiations between the Region's principal political actors, even as questions persist over whether post-election alliances can fundamentally reshape political mandates established at the ballot box.

The newly released document is therefore likely to become another focal point in those broader discussions.

Its publication may deepen debate over transparency in political negotiations and reinforce calls for greater public clarity regarding coalition arrangements, particularly at a time when government formation remains unresolved.

Whether the document ultimately influences negotiations, public opinion or relations among the Region's political parties remains uncertain.

For now, the disclosure adds another layer to an already evolving political landscape in which coalition-building, parliamentary arithmetic and public trust continue to shape the course of government formation in the Kurdistan Region.