KCK General Presidency

a) The institution representing the KCK system at the highest level is the KCK General President.

b) The KCK President is elected every two years by the General Council of the People’s Congress, with a two-thirds majority. If the two-thirds majority is not achieved in the first two rounds, an overall majority is sufficient in the third round. If the conditions are favorable, direct election by the people with fifty per cent plus one vote is taken as a basis.

c) The General President of the KCK represents the Kurdish democratic nation, which finds its expression in the KCK system, in every field and at the highest level. They ensure harmony between the general organs of the KCK and approve the decisions taken and policies determined by general organs such as the People’s Congress and the Executive Council. They supervise the correct implementation of these decisions and policies by the related institutions. They oversee the philosophical, theoretical and strategic development and implementation of the line of democratic modernity. They nominate their own deputies and candidates for the co-chair of the Executive Council and submit this to the approval of the General Council of the People’s Congress. If not approved by the General Council, they renew their proposals.

d) The KCK General President works with a council of seven deputies comprised of four women and three men. This forms the KCK General Presidential Council, which is a council of deputies with whom the General President works to fulfill their undertaken duties. Its members are appointed by the KCK General President and approved by the General Council of the People’s Congress by simple majority, every two years. The Council carries out the tasks assigned by the General President and reports its activities to the General President. It is responsible for supervising the organs of the KCK and for the creative implementation, monitoring and auditing of the fundamental policies of the KCK.

e) The General President of the KCK makes a presentation to the General Council of the People’s Congress in relation to its opinions and activities. In cases where the General President is unable to make a presentation, the General Presidential Council fulfills this task.

The People’s Congress (Kongra Gel)

It is the People’s Assembly of Kurdistan. It takes its decisions in General Council meetings. It takes binding decisions for the democratic autonomous organizations that make up Koma Civakên Kurdistan (KCK). It operates according to a statute drawn up in accordance with the provisions of the Convention.

a) The People’s Congress consists of 200 members. These members are elected by the people every two years in accordance with the electoral law which is established in consideration of factors such as population ratio, communal organization status, and cultural-belief specificity of KCK citizens in the provinces of Kurdistan and abroad. A system of equal representation between the genders is applied. The minimum age of election is 16 and the age of candidacy is 18. Elections are regulated by a separate body, in accordance with the concrete circumstances. Elections are held under the responsibility of the general Electoral Council.

b) The General Council of the People’s Congress shall hold its annual meeting in April each year with the participation of an absolute majority of its elected members. It may postpone its annual meeting for a maximum of six months or hold extraordinary meetings upon the request of the General Presidency, the Co-Presidium Board of the Congress, the Executive Council, or upon the request of one fourth of the total number of its members. Members of the People’s Congress shall be invited to the meeting by the Co-Presidium Board.

c) The General Council of the People’s Congress elects the Co-Presidium Board, the KCK President, members of the Presidency Council, the Co-Chairs and members of the Executive Council, members of the Social Justice Council, members of the General Electoral Council and members of the Standing Commission. It supervises the work of the Executive Council. It decides and plans the work for the upcoming period. It examines and decides on the documents and projects submitted in this regard. The decisions of the General Council of the People’s Congress are implemented after approval by the KCK General Presidential Council.

d) The People’s Congress is governed by the Co-Presidium Board, which consists of two Co-Presidents and two Vice-Presidents. The 4-person Co-Presidium Board is elected by twenty members of the General Council. The Co-Chairs of the Co-Presidium Board are elected by an absolute majority of the members of the General Council. The members of the Co-Presidium Board are elected by simple majority among the members of the General Council. In each renewal of the General Council, the Co-Chairs and their Vice-Presidents are re-elected.

e) The Co-Presidium Board is responsible for organizing and conducting all the work of the People’s Congress. It conducts the meetings and work of the General Council. It represents the People’s Congress, organizes the mid-term board meetings of the Co-Presidium Board and organizes the work of the commissions. It plays an active role in political and diplomatic work. It draws up the list of candidates for the Social Justice Council, the General Electoral Council and the Standing Commission and submits it to the General Council for approval.

f) The Co-Presidium Board of the People’s Congress has regular relations with the People’s Assemblies. It determines its relationship with the People’s Assemblies by regulation.

g) The People’s Congress works on the basis of committees. It finalizes the decisions and projects submitted to the General Council and the mid-term meeting. It is composed of a sufficient number of members according to the needs of the Provincial Assemblies. The Standing Commission works continuously under the supervision of the Co-Presidium Board of the People’s Congress. It develops plans and projects for the establishment and development of the system. It keeps in touch with, and follows the work of, the Communes and Assemblies in the field.

h) During periods when the General Council is not in session, laws and by-laws shall be discussed and decided upon by the Co-Presidium Board, Standing Commission, and Executive Council. Together, these three bodies form the People’s Congress Interim Assembly. It is composed of the members of these three bodies. The mid-term meeting cannot discuss the Convention and cannot hold elections.

i) The People’s Congress negotiates and concludes treaties with international organizations, different communities and states on behalf of the KCK.

Executive Council

a) The Executive Council consists of two Co-Chairs and 34 members who are elected citizens of the KCK. They are elected by the People’s Assembly every two years.

The Co-Chairs of the Executive Council are elected by an absolute majority in the People’s Congress. The members of the Executive Council are elected by an absolute majority of that meeting.

The Co-Chairs of the Executive Council are proposed by the KCK General Presidency and presented to the approval of the General Council of the People’s Congress. If the General Council does not approve, new candidates are determined by the KCK General Presidency and presented to the General Council.

Members of the Executive Council are elected from the list submitted by the Executive Council Co-Chairs. If a sufficient number of members are not elected, the Co-Chairs submit new names to complete the council. The Co-Chairs of the Executive Council shall take into consideration the opinions and suggestions of the Kurdistan Democratic Society Confederalism when preparing the list of potential Executive Council members to be presented to the General Council.

b) The Co-Chairs of the Executive Council are responsible for coordinating all the work of the Executive Council and ensuring that the Council works in harmony. The Co-Chairs take all periodic plans and decisions together with the Executive Council based on the annual and mid-term decisions taken by the People’s Congress. Deputy Co-Chairs are appointed from among the members of the Executive Council according to necessity.

c) The Executive Council is the administrative body of KCK. It coordinates the work of all institutions, organizations and committees within the KCK. It is responsible for implementing the decisions of the KCK General Presidency and the People’s Congress. It ensures the implementation of judicial decisions. It submits regular reports on its activities to the KCK General Presidency. It is responsible to the annual and interim board meetings of the People’s Congress where it reports on its activities. It provides information upon the official request of the Co-Presidium Board of the People’s Congress. It also receives regular reports from subcommittees, institutions and organizations, and issues circulars when deemed necessary.

d) The Executive Council meets every four months by simple majority. The Executive Council meeting shall be chaired by the Co-Chairs. Upon the request of the Co-Chairs or one third of the members, the Council may convene earlier or postpone its meeting.

e) The Executive Council organizes itself and carries out its work on the basis of its Committees and Province Coordinations. The co-chairs of the Executive Council coordinate the relations and work between Committees and Coordinations.

f) In the event that the members of the Executive Council are reduced by one quarter, for various reasons, new members are elected at the General Assembly of the People’s Congress on the basis of the names proposed by the Co-Chairs of the Executive Council.

g) The Executive Council and its Committees and Coordinations make decisions on key policies and new organizations according to needs by submitting drafts to the organs of the People’s Congress.

h) The working and functioning principles of the Executive Council shall be regulated by a Regulation.