Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
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The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) (est 1975) (Kurdish: Yaketi Nishtimani Kurdistan)
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Mission
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan has been working for self-determination, human rights, democracy and peace for the Kurdish people of Iraq, since its establishment in 1975.
Leadership
The Secertary General is Jalal Talabani, the Iraqi Persident. Umar Fatah is the Prime Minsiter. The PUK's policy and decsion making body also lies within the Politburo, the aim of this is to achieve a Puluralistic power structure.
History
The PUK was a coalition of five separate political factions that united under Jalal Talabani, also known as Mam ("Uncle") Jalal; the leading factions were the Komala ("group") and Shorish Geran ("revolution spreaders").
The PUK received grassroots support from the urban intellectual classes of Iraqi Kurdistan upon its establishment, this was party due to 13 of its 15 founding members being Phd holders and academics. Originally, the party was a leftist political movement which has progressively moved towards the centre and has now become a social democratic party and an observer member of the Socialist International. In the early 1980's the PUK adapted and broadened its appeal to all sections of Kurdish society. The regional Kurdish assembly elections showed that the PUK's support lies predominantly in the southern area of Iraqi Kurdistan. Since the first Gulf War, the PUK has jointly administered northern Iraqi Kurdistan with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP).
Recent activities
The PUK joined with the KDP and smaller parties to form the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan as an umbrella group contesting the Iraqi National Assembly election, 2005. This unified Kurdish list gained 25.6% of the vote on the first democratic Iraqi elections on the 31st of January, 2005. Talabani is now the president of the republic of Iraq.
See also
et:Kurdistani Patriootlik Liit pl:Patriotyczna Unia Kurdystanu