Kurdistan Social Democratic Party حزبی سۆسیال دیموکراتی کوردستان | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | KSDP |
| Leader | Mohammed Haji Mahmoud |
| Founder | Mahmoud Othman Resul Mamend Adnan Mufti |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Preceded by | Kurdistan Socialist Party - Iraq |
| Paramilitary wing | KSDPPeshmerga |
| Ideology | Kurdish nationalism Social democracy |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| International affiliation | Progressive Alliance |
| Seats in theCouncil of Representatives of Iraq | 0 / 329 |
| Seats in theKurdistan Region Parliament | 1 / 100 |
| Website | |
| www.jamawarnews.com | |
TheKurdistan Social Democratic Party (Kurdish:حزبی سۆسیال دیموکراتی کوردستان,romanized: Hizbî Sosyal Dîmukratî Kurdistan, abbreviated asKSDP) is a political party in theKurdistan Region. It was founded asKurdistan Socialist Party - Iraq (Kurdish:حزبی سۆسیالیست کوردستان - عێراق,romanized: Hizbî Sosyalîst Kurdistan - Êraq,KSP-I). The first leader wasSaleh Yousefi after 1981.
From 1979 to 1985, the KSDP was part of the short-lived allianceKurdistan United Socialist Party (HSYK), which had included theSocialist Movement of Kurdistan and the two splinters of theSouth Kurdistan Movement; the HSYK birthed theKurdistan Toilers' Party. The KSDP component of the alliance was split into two camps: thescientific socialist faction around Resul Mamend, and thesocial democratic faction aroundSaleh Yousefi andMahmoud Othman.[1] Prior to the1992 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election, the KSDP created an electoral alliance with theKurdish Socialist Party (PASOK). In August, theKurdistan Popular Democratic Party joined the alliance, and the three founded theKurdistan Unity Party (KUP). A faction led by Resul Mamend refused to join the alliance and instead joined thePatriotic Union of Kurdistan in December 1992, where Mamend was included as a member of the Political Bureau. The KUP joined theKurdistan Democratic Party in August 1993.[2]
A month later, a faction underMohammed Haji Mahmoud broke away from the KDP again, re-establishing the KSP-I. The following year, it was renamed toKurdistan Socialist Democratic Party (Kurdish:حزبی سۆسیالیست دیموکراتی کوردستان,romanized: Hizbî Sosyalîst Dîmukratî Kurdistan;Arabic:الحزب الاشتراكي الديمقراطي الكردستاني,romanized: Hizb al-Ishtiraki al-Dimuqrati al-Kurdistani).[2] It had been known under this name until a recent name change, although the acronym KSDP stayed the same.
After 1992, the party was led byMahmoud Othman. The KSDP is currently led by Mohammed Haji Mahmoud.[3]
In the2013 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election, the KSDP received 12,501 votes (0.6%) and won one seat in theKurdistan National Assembly. For the2024 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election, the party joined an electoral alliance together with theKurdistan Communist Party – Iraq and theKurdistan Toilers' Party in an alliance called the Kurdistan Region Coalition.[4]
The Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party has a paramilitary wing ofPeshmerga soldiers under the direct command of party leaderMohammed Haji Mahmoud, whosenom de guerre is "Kaka Hama". The party's forces have fought in theIraqi Civil War against theIslamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), mostly in the region south ofKirkuk. They also took part in theBattle of Mosul. Among the party's fighters killed in combat against ISIL was Mohammed Haji Mahmood's son Atta.[5]
Since early 2022,[6] there has been a developing rivalry between party leaderMohammed Haji Mahmoud and his brother Abdullah Haji Mahmoud. Abdullah was first an MP in theKurdistan Region Parliament and has been the "Minister of Martyrs andAnfal Affairs" since 2019.[7] He lost some influence in the party after a party congress in March 2023, where Mohammed's son, Rêbîn, replaced him in the office for public relations and replaced many staff associated with him.[8]
In late January 2024, the rivalry reemerged over a dispute whose son would become president of the Baxtiyarî Sports Club inSilêmanî, with the situation escalating and shots being exchanged.[9] On 14 February, Selah Elî, who was a close associate of Abdullah, was replaced with Husên Xelîfe as leader of Peshmerga affairs, an associate of Mohammed. During the tensions, Elî's son reportedly opened fire, which led to security forces intervening.[10]
On 5 March, an assembly led by Mohammed decided to strip Abdullah of the position of deputy chairman, as well as his party membership, calling on him to return properties owned by the party. Abdullah rejected the decision, arguing that only a proper party congress could make such a decision. According to the news network Peregraf, the conflict between the brothers had been going on for two years.[6]
On 4 April, clashes erupted after a property dispute between Mohammed and Abdullah. The house of Abdullah Haji Mahmoud's son in the village of Gulkhana, northwest ofHalabja, was attacked by an armed group. Abdullah claimed that the group was made up of members of the KSDP, including his brother, and that the group fired at his house with RPGs. During the clashes, Abdullah's son was reportedly wounded, and a guard of the party leader, Mohammed, was killed. After the clashes, security forces were deployed to the village to control the situation.[11]
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Mohammed Haji Mahmoud | 6,151 | 0.06% | 0 / 329 | New |  55th | Extra-parliamentary |
| 2021 | 8,221 | 0.09% | 0 / 329 |  0 |  61th | Extra-parliamentary | |
| 2025 | 7,100 | 0.06% | 0 / 329 | 0 | 55th | Extra-parliamentary |
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