Leadership struggle in Gorran Movement sparks tensions in Al-Sulaymaniyah

Last Update: 2024-09-27 16:55:05 - Source: Shafaq News

Shafaq News/ Tensions flared in Al-Sulaymaniyah on Friday after aninternal dispute within the Gorran (Change) Movement blocked a planned ceremonyto appoint Dana Ahmed Majid as the new coordinator.

According to local sources, forces loyal to Chia Nawshirwan Mustafa, theson of Gorran’s late founder, shut down the movement’s headquarters by closingthe main entrance with concrete barriers.

The escalating confrontation stems from a power struggle between factionssupporting Majid and others backing Omar Said Ali, according to the sources.

Chia Nawshirwan Mustafa is leading the opposition to Majid’sappointment, contesting the transfer of authority within the movement.

In a message to both Majid and Ali, Chia Nawshirwan Mustafa argued thatthe Gorran headquarters “did not belong to them” and demanded that the ceremonybe held elsewhere. He called for a broader discussion on leadership, pushingfor the selection of a new representative for the movement.

The Gorran Movement, once a prominent political force in the KurdistanRegion of Iraq, has been grappling with internal divisions since the death ofits founder, Nawshirwan Mustafa, in 2017.

What began as a reformist movement aimed at tackling politicalcorruption and promoting transparency has struggled with leadership disputesand competing visions for its future.

Founded in 2009 as a breakaway from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan(PUK), Gorran quickly gained momentum, securing 24 seats in the 2013 KurdistanParliament elections and overtaking the PUK. However, its political influencehas waned in recent years, with the movement winning just 12 seats in the 2018elections.