“We have started our talks and we will continue until we form a large coalition,” Rauf told NIQASH. “Our aims are political and economic and we are working towards reform and social justice.”
“There is an intention to form a coalition,” adds Change movement member, Shamal Abdulwafa, who is acting as a negotiator between Salih and his party. “Talks are ongoing. We have made some positive steps and there is a good understanding.”
Salih has also made moves to gain the support of the region’s civil society organisations. “We have held a number of meetings to try and reach a consensus about supporting these lists and parties,” confirms Khanum Raheem Lateef, a women’s rights campaigner in Sulaymaniyah.
If Salih does what he set out to do, it could change the political map of Iraqi Kurdistan. Up until now, the region has been dominated by the two main parties, the KDP and the PUK. Salih hopes eventually to achieve a majority in the Iraqi Kurdish parliament by uniting all the smaller parties in one alliance.
Alliance spokesperson Yunis says there is no hostility toward any other, specific party. But, he added, there is a desire to change politics in the region, to achieve “good governance” and to change the country’s leadership regularly through elections.
“This step is the right one if we want to change the region’s political map,” agrees Abubakir Haldani, an MP for the Kurdistan Islamic Union. “Our party has discussed this topic and we will continue to discuss it. However, it is all going to depend on whether elections are held or not.”
“We haven’t closed the door to any party that wants to form a coalition, either before or after elections,” says Adnan Othman, a senior member of the Change movement. “We want to work to form this alliance so we can remove the KDP from power.”
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