FILE: PUK Co-Presidents Lahur Sheikh Jangi (left) and Bafel Talabani (File)
AM:10:02:17/07/2021
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SULAIMANI — Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) Co-President
Lahur Sheikh Jangi stepped down from his position on Saturday (July 17),
leaving all his powers in the hands of his counterpart Bafel Talabani,
according to a decision rendered by the party’s politburo.
The development is the result of more than a week of public,
inter-factional tensions between the two co-presidents.
In a document outlining the decision, the change was
approved unanimously by the members of the party's politburo and will go into effect immediately.
The party will work in the coming days to revise its internal leadership structure to reflect the change.
The co-leadership arrangement was the result of the outcome
of the PUK’s Fourth Party Congress held in December 2019, where Sheikh Jangi
unexpectedly emerged with the most votes for the party’s powerful General
Leadership Council.
The outcome reflected his popularity with the grassroots of
the party, who appreciated his willingness to vocally criticize the PUK’s
historical rival and governing partner, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
The vote upended plans to solidify power around longtime
party leader Jalal Talabani’s sons, Bafel and Qubad, the latter of which
currently serves as Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) deputy prime minister.
In response, the party devised the co-presidency arrangement
as a compromise. The rivalry between the new co-leaders and their camps remained
potent, despite occasional shows of unity.
On July 8, those tensions erupted into public view when a
nominee for the party’s Zanyari intelligence agency who was backed by Sheikh
Jangi was rejected by the KRG’s Security Council with the backing of Kurdistan
Regional President Nechirvan Barzani’s office. The Security Council is
dominated by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. The Barzanis are senior
members of the KDP.
The position was then filled by an official backed by the
Talabani brothers, touching off a series of dramatic events, which ultimately
resulted in Sheikh Jangi’s fall from power within the party.
Shortly thereafter, his brother, Polad, was replaced as head
of the powerful Counterterrorism Service by another Talabani pick.
On July 13, a media outlet loyal to Sheikh Jangi that was under
development was raided by security forces loyal to the Talabani camp. Dozens of
journalists were briefly detained, equipment was broken, and the office was
closed. Social media accounts of other outlets supportive of Sheikh Jangi were
locked.
The Talabanis also indirectly accused Sheikh Jangi of a
variety of offenses, including corruption, smuggling, and spying.
Across several statements and public appearances, Sheikh
Jangi gave mixed signals about his intention to resist the intra-party assault
on his position, but in the end offered little substantive pushback.
Earlier indications had been that the politburo would meet
after Eid al-Adha, which is expected to be celebrated in the coming days, but its members
appear to have moved more quickly to formally remove Sheikh Jangi from his
position.
(NRT Digital Media)