Muhammed Haji Mahmoud Says Two Parties Still Govern the Kurdistan Region

Muhammed Haji Mahmoud, head of the Kurdistan Social Democratic Party, said the Kurdistan Region continues to be run by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, even without an active parliament or a fully functioning government. He said the parliament has been closed for four years and described the current government as operating on a temporary basis. Haji Mahmoud said elections have become a burden on the public. He argued that any agreement reached between the two parties would resolve all problems completely, because the administration, economy, relations and military files remain in their hands. He also said the two parties remain influential within the security institutions. He claimed there are no security personnel belonging to another party in their respective areas of authority.