According to Kurdpress, the recent agreement between the "New Generation Movement" and the "Patriotic Union of Kurdistan" has become one of the most controversial political developments in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region in recent months. On the one hand, this agreement can open the way out of the long deadlock of government formation, but on the other hand, it has raised serious questions about the independence of the opposition parties, political pressures, and the future of multi-voices in the Kurdistan Region.

The New Generation movement, which since its establishment was operating with the slogan of fighting corruption and confronting the monopoly of power by the two main parties of the region, i.e. the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, is now in a position that many consider to be a 180-degree turn in the policies of this party by signing a power sharing agreement with the Patriotic Union.

The agreement, whose negotiations started in January 2026, was officially signed by the New Generation Political Council in early May. But the coincidence of this agreement with the release of Shaswar Abdulwahid, the leader of the new generation movement from prison, has caused many critics to raise serious doubts about the role of judicial and political pressures in its formation.

Political deadlock after the elections

The parliamentary elections of the Kurdistan Region in October 2024 left a fragmented parliament without an absolute majority. The Kurdistan Democratic Party became the largest faction in the 100-member parliament with 39 seats. The Patriotic Union won 23 seats and the New Generation movement won 15 seats.

The Islamic Union of Kurdistan won four seats and the Helowest movement won two seats, and the rest of the seats were distributed among smaller parties and quotas of ethnic and religious minorities.

The lack of an overwhelming majority caused the negotiations to form a new government to continue for more than 18 months, and the differences over the way of running the parliament, the division of positions and the structure of the government stopped the process of forming the cabinet.

In the meantime, the Kurdistan Justice Jamaat, which has three seats in the parliament, has boycotted the parliamentary sessions and claims that the political process is pre-planned.

Opponents who came close to power

Omar Gulpi, a representative of the Kurdistan Justice Party, believes that the agreement between the Patriotic Union and the New Generation has dealt a serious blow to the political credibility of the opposition movements.

He says: "The new generation has always promised the voters that it will not enter into a coalition with the ruling parties under any circumstances. "When a party completely changes its positions, it's natural for voters to feel cheated."

According to him, this agreement has intensified public distrust towards the opposition parties; Especially since Shaswar Abdulwahid quickly entered into an agreement with the Patriotic Union after his release from prison.

On the other hand, the leaders of the new generation defend this decision. They argue that years of protest activity and being in the position of the opposition have failed to produce structural reforms and that participation in power can provide more opportunities to deal with corruption, unemployment and civil restrictions.

According to this agreement, the two parties will cooperate in the parliament, and the new generation is expected to take over several ministries in the future cabinet of the region.

The effect of the agreement on Baghdad

The consequences of this agreement are not limited to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah. Sarwah Abdulwahid, the sister of Shaswar Abdulwahid and head of the New Generation faction in the Iraqi parliament, was recently appointed as Iraq's Minister of Environment. This ministry was previously in the quota of the Patriotic Union.

From the eyes of critics, this development is considered another sign of the increasing proximity of the new generation to the power structure.

From protest symbol to power partner

Shaswar Abdulwahid became famous during the Kurdistan Regional Independence Referendum in 2017. He was one of the few political figures who openly opposed the holding of the referendum and considered it an inappropriate action in those circumstances.

After that, he founded the New Generation movement in Sulaimaniyah and was able to attract a significant part of the disaffected youth with reformist and anti-corruption slogans.

This party won eight seats in the 2018 regional elections and four seats in the Iraqi parliamentary elections in 2021 and always emphasized on maintaining distance from the ruling parties.

But now this record has become one of the most important axes of criticism of the new generation.

Judicial pressures and accusations of political deals

Shaswar Abdulvahid in the past years with numerous legal and financial cases; Among the lawsuits related to commercial debts, the financial obligations of the "Chavi Land" project in Sulaymaniyah and electricity debts to the regional government have been faced.

In 2019, one of the former representatives of New Generation accused him of using personal videos to exert pressure.

In August 2025, a court in Sulaymaniyah sentenced Abdul Wahid to six months in prison on charges of threats and intimidation.

Critics believe that he faced increasing pressures while in prison and the worry of pursuing more cases, seizure of property and even the closure of the NRT TV channel finally led him to accept the agreement with the Patriotic Union.

Concerns about the future of political polyphony

Shadman Mullah Hassan, one of the leaders of the People's Front, believes that the agreement between the New Generation and the Patriotic Union was made under direct pressure. According to him, Abdul Wahid's release was actually conditional on accepting this agreement.

These concerns intensified after the security operation against the People's Front in 2025. At that time, the police forces in Sulaymaniyah targeted Sheikh Jangi's centers near Lahore in Sulaymaniyah.

Lahore Sheikh Jangi, the former co-chairman of the Patriotic Union and Bafel Talabani's cousin, left the party after internal disputes. Although some charges against him were later dismissed in court, he still faces other security cases.

Critics see these developments as a sign of the narrowing of the political space and increasing pressure on the opposition movements.

The risk of a legal crisis and the collapse of the political process

On the other hand, Mohammad Doshiwani, the former representative of the Patriotic Union in the Iraqi Parliament, defends the agreement with the new generation and believes that the current situation cannot continue.

According to him, regional parties have only two options: either activate the parliament and form the new government, or the parliament is dissolved and early elections are held.

Doshivani warns that the continuation of the deadlock may lead to the intervention of the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq. The intervention of the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq can face serious challenges to the legal position and authority of the Kurdistan Region.

Attempt to mediate

In the meantime, the Islamic Union of Kurdistan has tried to play the role of mediator between the Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union.

Salahuddin Bahauddin, the leader of this party, recently met with Masrour Barzani and Bafel Talabani and presented a plan to end the political deadlock.

This plan emphasizes the resumption of parliament sessions and the formation of a coalition government with the participation of the main parties and some opposition movements.

Erosion of the border between opposition and power

Some of the citizens of Sulaymaniyah, who spoke to the media, believe that the new generation was forced to sign the agreement under pressure. They say their confidence in the ability of opposition parties to effect change, both inside and outside the government, has declined.

Finally, the agreement between the Patriotic Union and the New Generation is not only a political agreement for many voters; Rather, it is a symbol of the blurring of the border between the opposition and the government in the Kurdistan region; A process that can change the future of politics and party competition in the region.

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