Peregraf
The New Generation Movement (NGM), a Kurdish opposition party led by businessman and politician Shaswar Abdulwahid, has declared it will seek participation in Iraq’s next federal cabinet following the November 11 parliamentary elections.
The announcement comes while Abdulwahid is serving a five-month prison sentence issued by a Sulaimani court in September on charges of defamation and threats, a ruling that has sparked sharp debate in Kurdish politics. Despite his imprisonment, NGM has positioned itself as a challenger to the two dominant Kurdish parties — the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) — which have long shaped the Kurdistan Region’s role in Baghdad.
Five promises
In its statement, NGM outlined five main commitments:
1. Cabinet participation – The party pledged to take part in forming Iraq’s next cabinet and to use the federal government to address issues facing citizens in the Kurdistan Region.
2. Salary reform – It promised to ensure that all public employees and pensioners in Kurdistan receive salaries directly through banks, ending years of salary arrears and irregular payments.
3. Reducing KDP/PUK dominance – NGM vowed to prevent the KDP and PUK from claiming to represent Kurdistan in Baghdad, accusing them of exploiting citizens’ livelihoods and political rights.
4. Youth and housing loans – The party said it would push for marriage loans for young people, small and medium business loans for graduates, and real estate loans for tenants, to be financed through Iraqi government programs and banks.
5. Accountability at the ballot box – NGM promised to empower voters to hold the ruling parties accountable and resolve “accumulated problems” via federal institutions.
A rising but embattled force
Founded in 2018, NGM quickly gained a following, especially among young and disillusioned voters frustrated by corruption and power-sharing arrangements between the KDP and PUK. The party secured several parliamentary seats in both Baghdad and Erbil. Its populist platform centers on reforming governance, increasing transparency, and reducing the influence of entrenched political families.
The NGM’s pledge to participate in Iraq’s next cabinet signals a shift from protest politics toward direct engagement with Baghdad’s executive branch. If realized, this would mark the first time an emerging Kurdish opposition group joins the central government in a meaningful way, potentially weakening the KDP-PUK monopoly over Kurdish representation.
Still, challenges remain. Iraq’s cabinet formation is notoriously fragmented, requiring months of negotiations among Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish blocs. Whether NGM can secure meaningful portfolios will depend on its performance at the ballot box and its ability to build alliances with larger national parties.
For now, NGM’s message appears aimed at Kurdish voters dissatisfied with decades of PUK-KDP rivalry, positioning itself as a vehicle for change through Baghdad rather than Erbil.