Movement for Change
بزووتنه‌وەی گۆڕان
LeaderOmar Said Ali
FounderNawshirwan Mustafa
Founded2009
Split fromPatriotic Union of Kurdistan[1]
HeadquartersSulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan
Ideology
Political positionCentre to centre-left
ColorsBlue
Council of Representatives of Iraq
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Kurdistan Parliament
12 / 111
Website
gorran.net
Politics of Kurdistan Region
National symbols
Referendums
Government
Parliament
Recent elections
Political parties
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations

The Gorran Movement (Kurdish: Bizûtinewey‌ Gorran / بزووتنەوەی گۆڕان, lit. Movement for Change) or just Gorran (Change) is a Kurdish political party in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.[3] Formerly under the leadership of Omar Said Ali, it was founded in 2009 by Nawshirwan Mustafa. Gorran is the sixth largest party in the Kurdistan Region, having lost almost all of its voters (95%) since its foundation, and is now no longer represented in the Iraqi parliament.[4][5]

Gorran under Nawshirwan Mustafa

According to the BBC Gorran had "already shaken the political landscape in Kurdish areas" in March 2010.[6] Support for the Movement for Change "stems from the simple fact that it is the new, dynamic, fresh option in Kurdistan"[7] and its "calls for an end to monopoly control of power."[8] One of Gorran's main objectives is to "uproot rampant corruption."[9] The party is particularly popular with the youth of Kurdistan and campaigns against patronage.[10] It consists of a mix of (former) PUK/KDP members, Peshmerga, and academics.[11] Gorran supporters have often faced "violent intimidation."[12] Gorran have stated in The Economist that "the KDP and PUK have done a poor job of promoting the Kurds’ interests at the federal parliament in Baghdad."[13] The party in the 2009 and 2010 elections "won in the city and the province of Sulaimaniyah."[14]

2009 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election and 2010 Iraqi parliamentary election

Main article: 2009 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election

The Change List won a total of 25 seats in the July 2009 elections,[15] making it the second-most successful list in the election after the Kurdistani List. The party viewed the election results as a huge victory. The movement's platform for the 2009 election was to de-politicise the regional government, strengthen the judiciary, limit political interference in the economy and make the budget more transparent. Supporting federalism for Iraq, it said disputes with the central government could be solved through dialogue based on the Iraqi Constitution.[16] Considered to be the main opposition to Kurdistan List, particularly in areas dominated by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The campaign focused on addressing what it sees as corruption undertaken by the Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. It managed to win eight seats.

2013 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election and 2014 Iraqi parliamentary election

Main article: 2013 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election

Gorran won 24 seats[17] in the 2013 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election and 9 seats[18] in the 2014 Iraqi parliamentary election.

2011 Kurdish protests in Iraq

Main article: 2011 Kurdish protests in Iraq

In 2011 the party called for the resignation of the Cabinet and the disbanding of the Kurdistan Regional Government during the protests in Kurdistan that followed the 2011 Egyptian protests.[19] This was accompanied by protests against the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Kurdistan Democratic Party.[20][21][22] Some[who?] have criticized the party for causing unnecessary unrest, arguing that there is no need for the Kurdish government to step down.[23] Amnesty International and the Human Rights Watch have urged protests to be allowed. February 17, 2011, Human Rights Watch reported security guards firing on protesters in Sulaimaniya, killing at least one person and wounding more than 33 others after the crowd threw rocks at the political headquarters of the KDP.[24] Since there were shootings which led to deaths, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch called for an independent investigation into the killings.[24][25][26]

Gorran under Omar Said Ali

Following death of the party leader, Nawshirwan Mustafa, in May 2017, an internal ballot was held to elect a new leader, Omar Said Ali, and six other executive assembly members.[27]

2018 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election and 2018 Iraqi parliamentary election

Under the new leadership of Omar Said Ali, Gorran failed to present a lasting challenge to the KDP-PUK duopoly and the movement's popularity has been declining. As a result, Gorran suffered a harsh blow winning only 12 seats in the 2018 Kurdistan parliamentary election and only 5 seats in the 2018 Iraqi parliamentary election. The total number of votes for Gorran has shrunk by 60 percent since previous elections and Gorran has lost a significant number of followers and prominent members.[28] Gorran officials are also concerned to an extent about the future of the party, saying it “faces a deadly failure”[29] and has been dogged with infighting.[30] Gorran leadership was criticised for their handling of the referendum, as they had initially opposed the timing of the referendum but eventually supported holding it in September 2017 amid intense political pressure.[31] New Generation, a movement founded by Shaswar Abdulwahid, has taken in Gorran defectors,[32] New Generation has been described as stepping forward as Gorran has fallen back.[33]

The biggest crisis facing Gorran and the source of many of its recent failings and resulting loss of popularity is the ongoing dispute over the parties assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars and include shares in several ongoing projects, including Gasin cement company and metro supermarket as well as 305,000 square meters of land property including the Gorran party headquarters[34] which were secretly seized by Nawshirwan Mustafa's two sons after his death during the funeral while party supporters were in mourning.[35] The brothers’ ownership of the property is seen by many in a negative light and drew allegations of hypocrisy[36] and nepotism, one of the things Gorran was established against.[35] The decision caused a public and political backlash when it was exposed in the independent newspaper Awena,[37] and a growing number of middle- and high-ranking officials as well as grass-roots supporters are adding their voices to the uproar within the party.[35] Mariwan Kanie, a former supporter of the party, has said their claims have damaged the principles of the party and this issue could lead to a disaster which will bring Gorran to its political end.[37]

As a result of Gorran's political direction and subsequent failings after the death of Nawshirwan Mustafa, the party is now split between two main rival factions. The first faction is responsible for all decisions post-19 May 2017 and is seen as wanting to turn Gorran into a family-based party led by Omar Said Ali, Mustafa Said Qadir, Mohammad Tofiq Rahim and Nawshirwan's two sons. The second faction rejects Gorran becoming a family-based party and is led by Othman Haji Mahmud, Qadir Hagi Ali, Aram Ahmad, Dr. Yusuf Mohammed, Ali Hama Salih and Abdulay Mala Nuri.[38]

Corruption of Chia Nawshirwan and Nma Nawshirwan within Gorran have been exposed in the media,[39] prominent members have called for their expulsion from the party by Omar Said Ali "for the sake of Gorran’s interest and staying on the right path", the dirty deals have been facilitated by members of the KRG cabinet, one such corrupt deal has been identified concerns two valuable pieces of land belonging to the government which are 75,000 m2 and 125,000 m2 in size.[39] Kamal Salim Gorran's Minister of Trade and Industry in the KRG cabinet has signed the deals for Chia and Nma who are accused of betraying and selling out their father Nawshirwan Mustafa.[39] In another example of Chia Nawshirwan and Nma Nawshirwan's on going corruption scandals, their links with Sulaimani Provincial Council member Muhammad Sheikh Wahab has been exposed, Wahab under Article 289 of the Iraqi Penal Code, which criminalizes falsifying official documents is facing charges of falsifying customs bills worth $10 million in which Nma and Chia are implicated.[40] Chia also called Chiya Nawshirwan was born in Iran and holds a bachelor's degree in economics and master's degree in Politics and International Relations both from Harvard University.[41]

Gorran 2021 Iraqi parliamentary election

Gorran suffered a humiliating defeat of not winning a single seat[42] in the 2021 Iraqi parliamentary elections, the movement and the disastrous election campaign was led by Omar Said Ali and the two sons of founder Nawshirwan Mustafa.[43][44] On 13 October 2021 leadership decided to step down.[45] Political observers have said the election result was a fatal blow for Gorran “Gorran was born in 2009 but died in 2021”.[46] The scale of Gorran's demise is represented by a 95% percent decrease in votes and it is now the sixth largest political party in the Kurdistan Region.[47][48] Those identified with Gorran's collapse by the public are Omar Said Ali, Chia and Nma Nawshirwan, Mustafa Said Qadir, Jalal Jawher and Haval Abu Bakr.[49] Former Gorran supporters have held protests against Omar Said Ali and Chia Nawshirwan demanding they leave Gorran Headquarters and return the property held by them.[50] It is rumoured that Osman Haji Mahmoud and Dr. Yusuf Mohammed will jointly take over Gorran.[51] Historian David McDowall states "In the end Gorran changed nothing".[52]

Gorran party structure

Executive Assembly

National Assembly

The national assembly's (Jivat) role is policy. It consists of leaders of Gorran blocs in Iraqi and Kurdish parliaments, coordinators of Gorran departments, district officials and representatives who were successful in Gorran's internal elections.[53]

General Assembly

The general assembly's (Jivat) role is advisory. It consists of former Gorran leaders who have held office and are now retired.

Notable Members

References

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