ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Tuesday called on lawmakers to convene on Wednesday to complete the opening session of the Kurdistan Parliament’s sixth term, despite lacking the numbers needed for a legal quorum and the interim presiding lawmaker denying that he had officially called the session.
Vala Farid, head of the KDP parliamentary bloc, made the call during a press conference, urging lawmakers to return to the legislature, which has remained largely inactive since its inaugural session in December 2024.
The KDP, Kurdistan Social Democratic Party (KSDP), and three out the five minority quota representatives, who together hold 43 of the parliament’s 100 seats, are expected to attend. However, parliamentary rules require at least 51 lawmakers to establish a legal quorum.
The latest attempt to reactivate parliament comes amid a prolonged political deadlock between the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) over forming the Kurdistan Region’s next government and distributing senior positions, including the parliament speakership. The dispute has left both the legislature and government formation process stalled for nearly two years.
Shortly after the announcement, a letter attributed to the parliament’s administrative office, known as Divan, called on lawmakers to attend Wednesday’s session. However, Ardalan Mohammed Sarspi, head of Divan, subsequently denied that his office had issued the invitation. The letter, however, didn't contain a signature but instead bore the name "Divan Presidency" at the bottom left.
“We find it necessary to inform the public that we didn’t make the call at all, and we haven’t assigned anyone to act on our behalf,” Sarspi said.
“We have only received the signatures of 43 MPs officially…whenever the necessary numbers are there, the parliament’s hall will be ready and is open,” he added.
Mohammed Sulaiman, the parliament’s interim presiding lawmaker by virtue of being its oldest member, also denied authorizing the session.
“I haven’t sounded the call for a Kurdistan Parliament session, and I didn’t sign the letter that was published under the name of the parliamentary divan presidency,” Sulaiman told Rudaw.
Sulaiman, a member of the opposition New Generation Movement (NGM), confirmed that his party would not participate in Wednesday’s proceedings.
“I insist, like before, that I will not sound the call for the meeting if all factions, especially PUK, KDP and the New Generation, don’t participate,” he said.
The PUK parliamentary bloc said it had not been consulted about the proposed session and had yet to decide whether to attend.
The party has repeatedly insisted that the KDP and PUK must first reach a comprehensive agreement on the distribution of the Kurdistan Region’s top positions, including the presidency, premiership, and parliamentary speakership.
The KDP, meanwhile, maintains that parliamentary proceedings should not remain contingent on negotiations to form the next government, arguing that lawmakers must elect the legislature’s leadership and resume their constitutional duties.
Opposition National Stance Movement (Halwest) leader Ali Hama Salih also told Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman that his party would boycott Wednesday’s session, refusing to become involved in the KDP–PUK rivalry.
The impasse dates back to the October 2024 parliamentary elections, in which the KDP emerged as the largest party with 39 seats, followed by the PUK with 23 and the NGM with 15.
Despite repeated rounds of negotiations, the KDP and PUK have failed to agree on a power-sharing arrangement for the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) tenth cabinet.
The PUK has sought a more balanced distribution of executive authority and key government positions, while the KDP maintains that appointments should reflect the election results.
The political stalemate has prevented parliament from electing its speaker, deputy speaker, and secretary, leaving the legislature unable to resume normal legislative and oversight work.
The deadlock has also prompted legal challenges.
In late October, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Hama Salih seeking the dissolution of the Kurdistan Parliament, ruling that the matter fell outside its jurisdiction. The court also postponed a separate petition challenging the caretaker KRG’s authority until December 14.
The Kurdistan Justice Group (Komal) has continued to boycott the parliamentary term, citing allegations of fraud in the October 2024 elections.
With the PUK undecided and several opposition parties refusing to participate, the KDP’s attempt to reconvene parliament on Wednesday faces significant obstacles.
