Peregraf
Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement (NGM), stated that his party would not repeat the mistakes of other parties by joining a government led by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). He revealed that the NGM filed 112 complaints on election day, alleging that they received fewer votes than expected due to fraud.
During a press conference, Qadir strongly criticized both the ruling parties and other political groups outside of the PUK and KDP, accusing them of being complicit in attacking NGM. “Other parties act as extensions of power, serving the government while also claiming to be opposition,” he remarked.
Qadir expressed gratitude to the people of Kurdistan, highlighting the rise in votes for opposition parties, from 300,000 to 600,000. "In 2009, when the opposition was at its peak, the KDP and PUK held 70 seats. Now, they have only 62," he said, underlining the shift in political dynamics.
“The authorities and those in power always aim to disappoint the people. They are the ones who suffer after every election,” Qadir said. He warned that despair leads to nothing but a strengthening of the ruling powers. “If I knew NGM had lost 40 seats and been reduced to 16, I would have stepped away from politics. But we have retained 80% of our votes, and the authorities are shocked by the high turnout."
The New Generation Movement solidified its position as the leading opposition and the third-largest party in the Kurdistan Parliament in the recent elections. In 2018, the NGM won 127,115 votes and secured eight seats, ranking fourth. This time, the party nearly doubled its support, gaining 290,991 votes and 15 seats, placing third in the parliamentary rankings.
On the possibility of participating in the new government, Qadir was resolute: “We will not repeat the mistakes of other parties. We are not one of those who sell out the people’s votes for a few government posts.”