The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is under scrutiny following allegations by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) that it has struck a deal with the Turkmen Front regarding governance in Kirkuk, Iraq.
PUK Board Member Hasibe Abdullah accused the KDP of betraying national values and causing hardship to the populace by purportedly reaching an agreement with the Turkmen Front over the Kirkuk governorship.
Despite the 18 December 2023 Provincial Council elections in Iraq, Kirkuk remains without a governor and council president due to the inability of parties to reach a consensus even after three months.
Hasibe Abdullah claimed in a statement that an agreement had been reached between the KDP and the Turkmen Front regarding the Kirkuk governorship.
According to Rojnews, Abdullah asserted that the KDP had struck a deal with the Turkmen Front, stipulating that the governorship would rotate between the two factions.
Abdullah further criticised the KDP, alleging that while boasting to be the representative of Kurds in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, the party had neglected to pay salaries, causing hardship to the people and compromising national values in Kirkuk.
In the recent elections, ‘Our Strength and Will in Kirkuk’, the PUK-led coalition, secured the highest vote tally, winning 5 out of the 16 seats in the council. However, discussions between the PUK and KDP were halted after a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and KDP President Masoud Barzani.