Latest news with #NewGenerationMovement
Shafaq News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Trial date set: Kurdistan's New Generation Leader detention extended
Shafaq News — Al-Sulaymaniyah On Wednesday, a court in al-Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region, extended the detention of New Generation Movement (NGM) Leader Shaswar Abdulwahid until August 24 and scheduled his first hearing for August 21. Abdulwahid was arrested a day earlier in the city's German Village district under a judicial warrant linked to an undisclosed complaint. Police said the operation was conducted in accordance with legal procedures and under direct judicial supervision. Rouwar Abdulrahman, Leader of the NGM parliamentary bloc that holds 15 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament, denounced the detention as 'political,' accusing the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), one of the leading Kurdish parties, of orchestrating it. He added that the case stemmed from a video in which Abdulwahid criticized an oil revenue deal between Baghdad and Erbil. "The move aimed to undermine the movement ahead of elections."
The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Prominent opposition leader in Iraq's Kurdistan arrested by security forces
Security authorities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq arrested late on Tuesday the prominent opposition leader Shaswar Abdulwahid, his New Generation Movement announced. The party claimed that security forces affiliated with the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party of breaking into his home and arresting him 'without any legal process', it said in the statement, adding that his whereabouts is still unknown. 'A force affiliated to a party arrested the leader of the largest opposition group,' it added. 'This carries nothing but shame and disgrace,' it said. 'Neither Shaswar Abdulwahid nor the New Generation can be subdued, and we, Shaswar's comrades, will continue the path of justice and righteousness'. According to a judicial decree document dated August 3, Mr Abdulwahid has been sentenced to six months in absentia under Article 431 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which penalises threatening behaviour or attributing dishonourable matters. No more details were released on the charges. The New Generation Movement was established in 2017 as a liberal political party in Sulaymaniyah province. Since then it has emerged as a powerful opposition group which challenged the influential tradition parties PUK and its rival Kurdistan Democratic Party. It came third in October last year in Kurdistan's parliamentary elections after KDP and PUK, winning 15 seats in the 111-seat legislative body. Political wrangling between the rivals have derailed forming the new government in Kurdistan. In March 2019, Mr Abdulwahid appeared in court in Sulaymaniyah on charges of "assaulting state employees" and defamation after an altercation at the airport. He was arrested, held briefly, and released on bail. The New Generation party denounced the charges as politically motivated and accused the region's dominant parties of influencing the judiciary.
Shafaq News
31-03-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Kurdistan Government: Can post-Eid talks bring a resolution?
Shafaq News/ Negotiations to form the 10th Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have remained deadlocked for months, raising concerns over prolonged political uncertainty in the region. With discussions set to resume after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, political factions are under increasing pressure to finalize a new government and break the impasse that has persisted since the October 2024 parliamentary elections. A Landscape Shaped by Past Elections The Kurdistan Region's current political structure is rooted in the 2018 parliamentary elections, where the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Masoud Barzani, secured 45 seats, making it the dominant force in the 111-seat legislature. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) followed with 21 seats, while the Gorran (Change) Movement, weakened by the death of its leader Nowshirwan Mustafa, in 2017, won 12 seats. Other parties, including the New Generation Movement, gained smaller representations. Government positions were subsequently allocated based on these results. The KDP holds 10 ministerial posts, including that of Prime Minister, while the PUK controls six, including the Deputy Prime Minister's office. Gorran has five ministries, and the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party holds one. Additionally, Christian and Turkmen minorities each have a single ministerial seat. The Ministry of Natural Resources remains vacant, with the KDP-affiliated Minister of Electricity currently overseeing the portfolio in an acting capacity. A Stalled Government Formation The October 2024 parliamentary elections saw the KDP maintain its leading position with 39 seats, while the PUK increased its share to 23 seats. Other parties, including the New Generation Movement (Al-Jeel Al-Jadeed), the Kurdistan Islamic Union, and Gorran, secured smaller portions of the vote. However, despite these results, government formation has been stalled due to disputes over leadership positions and governance strategies, delaying the establishment of a functioning administration. The Kurdistan Region has been without a new government since the previous cabinet's mandate expired in 2022, leaving the outgoing ministers to operate in a caretaker capacity. Repeated rounds of negotiations between the KDP and PUK have yet to yield a final power-sharing agreement, further deepening political stagnation. Renewed Hopes for a Breakthrough? Since November, the KDP and PUK have engaged in multiple rounds of discussions to resolve the deadlock. However, no clear announcements have been made regarding the outcomes of these talks. On March 18, both parties declared they had reached a joint vision for the next government, prioritizing public services and addressing economic and political challenges in the region. A senior KDP official confirmed that negotiations would resume after Eid, with hopes of overcoming key obstacles. The KDP has indicated that most government positions were nearly finalized following a high-profile meeting in Erbil between KDP Deputy Head Masrour Barzani and PUK President Bafel Talabani. This has sparked speculation over the potential revival of the "Kurdistan Alliance," a partnership that previously unified the two dominant Kurdish parties in governance. Pshtiwan Sadiq, a member of the KDP Political Bureau and a negotiator in the talks, expressed optimism that discussions would lead to an inclusive government incorporating all major Kurdish factions. 'We have reached a good political understanding with the PUK and other parties,' he told reporters after Eid prayers in Erbil. Challenges and the Road Ahead Despite these positive signals, sources close to the negotiations suggest the process may extend beyond the Eid break and possibly until after Iraq's 2025 federal elections, given the broader political complexities involved. While there is no legal deadline for forming the new government, key Kurdish leaders—including President Nechirvan Barzani and KDP Leader Masoud Barzani—have emphasized the need for swift action to ensure political stability in the Kurdistan Region.
