Kurdish Candidates Receive PUK Support Ahead of Swedish Elections

PUKMEDIA

PUK Delegation visits Kurdish Candidates ahead of Swedish Parliamentary elections.

A meeting was held in Gothenburg in support of Kurdish candidates contesting Sweden’s upcoming parliamentary and local elections. The meeting was attended by Salar Mahmud, Head of the Foreign Relations Central Board of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK); Amal Jalal, Head of the Democratic Organisations Board; and several Kurdish candidates standing on the Social Democrats’ list.

Shadia Haidari, a former Swedish MP and parliamentary candidate for Gothenburg, thanked the PUK for its continued support for the Kurdish diaspora, as well as for backing the new electoral initiative, which has seen several Kurds from different parts of Kurdistan put themselves forward for parliament and local councils.

Speaking at the meeting, Mahmud said: “Our presence here is to support Kurdish candidates on the Social Democratic list, as well as Kurdish candidates in general, as part of this process.”

He added: “We encourage the Kurdish diaspora to participate in government, parliament, and cultural and civil society organisations. They understand better than anyone that this is a modern form of struggle, and they are at its forefront. This form of struggle is vital to the Kurdish cause and to strengthening relations between communities in several ways.”

Mahmud stressed the importance of the Kurdish diaspora as a significant and influential human resource for both Kurdistan and their host countries. He said the diaspora was also well placed to promote Kurdistan and strengthen its standing in the international community.

Amal Jalal said the new stage represented an important opportunity for Kurds to fulfil their national responsibilities within the legal frameworks of their host countries and to organise through civil and cultural institutions.

She described active Kurdish political participation abroad as an important dimension of the Kurdish people’s struggle to protect their achievements and pursue their national goals. Jalal also called on Kurds living in Sweden to vote and support Kurdish candidates on the ballot, particularly those standing on the Social Democratic list.

Dr Chro Waledbegi, a parliamentary candidate, thanked the PUK for responding to and supporting Kurdish politicians abroad at this important juncture, describing the initiative as a positive and significant step.

Sweden’s general elections for parliament and municipal councils will be held on 13 September 2026. Advance voting has already been under way for several days, with voters casting their ballots at polling stations across the country. A number of political parties and groups are competing for the 349 seats in the Swedish parliament.


PUKMEDIA