Under a readapted governing structure, the Council will be responsible for choosing the Secretary General and their deputies, according to Sozan Shahab, a party member attending the congress.

During the first day of the conference, the PUK selected current First Deputy Secretary General Kosrat Rasul as the head of the High Political Council, which functions as an influential advisory body composed of senior party members, including Qadir Hama Jan, Mala Bakhtiar (Hikmat Muhammad Karim), Hero Ibrahim Ahmad, Omar Fatah, Arsalan Baiz, Jafar Shiekh Mustafa, and Dler Said Majid.

In a separate vote on Saturday, Iraqi President Barham Salih, Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament Rewaz Fayaq, and Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani were all given seats on the General Leadership Council, NRT reported.

Given the important role that will be played by that body, Sunday’s votes are expected to be indicative of the direction of the party and a hint of who may emerge as leader of the notoriously factional party.

“The authorities and responsibilities of the High Political Council will be decided by the PUK General Leadership Council’s 121 members,” said Said Adalat Abdulla, a party member who was attending the congress.

He added that more than half of the former members of the PUK’s politburo had entered their names for election to the General Leadership Council.

“After the 121 members of the General Council are elected on Sunday, they would then choose 55 members of out of the 121 members to serve as the PUK’s parliament,” he added.

This is the first PUK congress in nearly a decade and the first since the illness and death of longtime party leader Jalal Talabani, who was widely viewed as a unifying figure.

Posters and flags bearing Talabani’s likeness lined the road from Sulaimani city to nearby Tasluja, where the congress is taking place. A recording of his voice urging unity was used to open the first day.

More than 1,000 party members are attending the congress, which has been billed by party leaders as an opportunity for renewal.

Reporter’s code: 50101