PUK divided after losses in Kurdistan region parliament
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan has fractured following the substantial losses it sustained in September's Iraqi Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, is going through a rough time due to its loss in the Kurdish parliamentary elections. This is also due to the continued absence of its leader, who is in a Berlin hospital. His health status is unknown.
The parliamentary elections of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, which enjoys almost complete autonomy from the central government in Baghdad, were held Sept. 21, 2013. The PUK came in third, winning 18 of 111 seats. Its main rival, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led by Massoud Barzani, ranked first with 38 seats.
