"Gorran’s decision to withdraw from Government illegal", Dana Abdulkareem
Abdulkareem further criticized those advocating for withdrawal from the government, noting that they have bypassed the proper procedures.
ERBIL (Kurdista24)— Dana Abdulkareem, the Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Construction and Housing, has rejected the recent decision by some members of the Gorran (Change Movement) to withdraw from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), labeling it as illegal and unenforceable.
Speaking at a news conference, Abdulkareem, who also leads the Gorran Movement's ministerial team, emphasized his commitment to decisions made by the movement’s elected council.
"I, in my capacity as the Minister of Construction and head of the ministerial team of the Gorran Movement, declare that we will abide 100% by any decision made by the elected council,” he stated.
He underscored that the authority to make decisions on behalf of the Gorran Movement lies solely with its National Council.
“Except for the National Council of the Gorran Movement, no one else has the right to make decisions on behalf of the Gorran Movement. On Oct. 9, a meeting was held on behalf of the National Council, and they made two decisions that are both null and void,” he asserted.
Abdulkareem further criticized those advocating for withdrawal from the government, noting that they have bypassed the proper procedures.
“Those who are now calling for withdrawal suggested forming a committee to determine the mechanism before making a decision. Instead, they have created another forum for themselves, where only 11 out of 32 members attended the meeting. Therefore, their decision is null and void,” he added.
The controversy comes in the wake of an extraordinary meeting of the National Council of the Gorran Movement on October 9 in Sulaimani, which involved a majority of council members.
During the meeting, Dana Ahmad Majid was endorsed as the new Secretary General of the Gorran Movement, following the decision of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on September 18, 2024, to transfer all organizational powers from Omar Said Ali to Dana Ahmad Majid.
Read More: Gorran Movement holds leadership transition ceremony amid internal conflicts
In his new role, Majid emphasized the significance of the upcoming sixth session of the Kurdistan Parliament elections, describing it as a critical juncture for the region's democracy and the Gorran Movement.
He urged all members and supporters to actively participate in the election campaign to ensure the success of Gorran’s candidates.
The Gorran Movement, established in 2009 by Nawshirwan Mustafa following a split from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), once enjoyed widespread support as a pro-reform opposition party. However, its influence has steadily declined in recent years. Gorran is currently the third-largest party in the Kurdistan Region's Parliament, holding 12 of the 111 seats.
In federal elections, the party's performance has similarly diminished. Gorran secured five seats in the 2018 Iraqi parliamentary election when running independently, but in 2021, it formed an alliance with the PUK.
