PUK: Salih is our candidate and 2018 scenario to be repeated

INA – BAGHDAD 
 
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan - PUK confirmed on Monday, its incorrect intentions to change its candidate, Barham Salih, while expecting a repeat of the 2018 session scenario that led to Salih in the position at the expense of the Democratic Party - KDP candidate, Fouad Hussein.
 
"PUK and KDP presenting different candidates for the post of President of the Republic does not mean that there is a dispute, but rather a competition between them, given that the position is for the Kurdish component,” said the PUK MP, Suzan Mansour to Al-Iraqiya News TV, followed by the Iraqi News Agency – INA.
 
She explained that "the door to dialogue is open and permanent, as both parties have the right to submit multiple names for the position," noting that "the position is important and the President of the Republic is the protector of the constitution, but on the other hand, we feel that there are attempts to reduce his role by political parties,"
 
"PUK has not yet replaced its candidate Salih, and there are no valid intentions to change, as we have no information regarding the intentions of KDP to present a second candidate for the position to be added to the current candidate, Rebar Ahmed," asserted Mansour.
 
Regarding the union’s dialogues to support its candidate, Mansour stated, “The party has contacts with all parliamentary blocs, and we believe that the scenario of the election of the President of the Republic post in 2018 will be repeated and our candidate Barham Salih will pass. We will rely on our alliances, and the political arena sometimes witnesses changes in attitudes,”
 
She stressed the need to speed up the resolution of naming the President of the Republic, because his election paves the way for naming the Prime Minister-designate, and any disruption will delay the formation of the new government and disrupt the country as well as, the interests of citizens.