Barham Salih warns of difficulties ahead for the PUK

By Mufid Abdulla:

Barham Salih (photo: Livinpress)

Barham Salih has spoken publicly for the first time about his concerns for the future of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) – in an interview published today, as Kurds cast their votes for a new parliament for the south of Kurdistan.

Observers have noted that Salih, a former prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), has seemed increasingly isolated from other PUK leaders ever since the party’s founder, and Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, became incapacitated by a stroke several months ago.

Salih told the Agence France-Presse that: “Our task is more difficult in this election in the absence of Talabani”. In previous elections Talabani would himself visit every town and city as part of the campaign.

Salih said the future of the PUK was uncertain. It was proving difficult for the party to be united without Talabani and it needed to change. “We are mistaken if we believe that things will change for us without hard work”, he added.

To me, this interview does not bode well for the PUK’s future. There is talk today in the city of Suli that, if Talabani’s death were announced by his family tomorrow, the PUK would fall apart straightaway.