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In move likely to be disputed, PUK Politburo confirms expulsions of Lahur Sheikh Jangi and allies

PM:02:40:05/11/2021

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SULAIMANI — The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan’s (PUK) official media outlet on Friday (November 5) announced that the party’s Politburo has confirmed a decision by Co-President Bafel Talabani to expel his co-president and internal political rival, Lahur Sheikh Jangi, from the party, though the move will likely be disputed.

A notice on PUK Media said that the Politburo voted unanimously to expel Sheikh Jangi, Shadman Mala Hassan, Ala Talabani, and Zhino Muhammed following "a period for submitting appeals” after Talabani’s decision on Tuesday.

Sheikh Jangi’s brother, Aras Sheikh Jangi, was suspended for six months.

The move will very likely been disputed by Sheikh Jangi.

In a letter on Thursday, he asserted that he was taking back his powers as co-president that he had temporarily given away in July and annulled the expulsion decisions by Talabani.

Moreover, it is unclear what legal weight the Politburo’s vote carries.

As part of a rewriting of the party’s rules at the PUK’s Fourth Congress in December 2019, the party created a powerful new body, the General Leadership Council, which is endowed with major decision making authorities.

NRT contacted Sheikh Jangi’s camp following the announcement of the Politburo’s decision, but messages were not returned by press time.

(NRT Digital Media)