| New Generation Movement | |
| Native Name: | جوڵانهوهی نهوهی نوێ |
| Leader: | Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir |
| Ideology: | Liberalism |
| Position: | Centre |
| Headquarters: | Silemani, Kurdistan Region |
| Seats1 Title: | Council of Representatives |
| Seats2 Title: | Kurdistan Parliament |
| Seats3 Title: | Seats in the Governorate Councils |
| Seats4 Title: | Governors |
| Website: | http://www.ngmovement.com/ |
| Country: | Iraq |
| Native Name Lang: | ckb |
The New Generation Movement or Naway Nwe (Kurdish: Cullanewey Newey Nwê / Kurdish: label=none| جوڵانهوهی نهوهی نوێ, Arabic: حراك الجيل الجديد) is an Iraqi Kurdish political party formed to contest the 2018 general election.[1]
In the 2021 Iraqi parliamentary election, the movement succeeded in winning 9 seats in the parliament.[2]
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 170,919 | 1.65% | New | 11th | |||
| 2021 | 233,834 | 2.64% | 5 | 8th |
On 22 April 2019, the party's Supreme Council and two prominent members of the Iraqi Parliament, Rabun Maroof and Sarkawt Shamsulddin published a statement on Facebook, which, among others, read 'The New Generation has been shifted from a political movement different from the dominant political model to a political band in which all of its institutions and the important decision-making bodies have been marginalized.'
They also stated that the New Generation Movement 'no longer enjoys collective decision making'. They accused the party leadership of getting 'involved in business and family to the extent that it is difficult to separate.'[3]
On 25 April 2019, the Supreme Council of the New Generation Movement suspended two of their 'high-profile members' who publicly criticized the party.[4] On the same day, a 'high-level official' of the Movement was arrested by the Sulaymaniyah police, following a complaint by Shadi Nawzad, a New Generation MP in the Kurdistan Parliament.[5] She accused the New Generation Movement's leader, Shaswar Abdulwahid, and some factions within the party of blackmailing her and other lawmakers by circulating nude videos.[6]
Still on the same day, New Generation leader Shaswar Abdulwahid disputed the accusations of mixing the family, politics and business, and accused the dissident members of the party of 'betraying' him, while speaking from London where he received medical care.[7] He also went on rejecting claims about the lack of collective decision making, saying 'Why didn't they say the decisions were unilateral when I made decisions to make them lawmakers and heads of caucuses?'. Furthermore, he stated 'We have seventeen offices within New Generation: none of my family members are in charge of those offices.' He also hinted about possible KDP (Kurdish Democratic Party, the largest party currently in the Kurdistan Parliament) and PUK (Patriotic Union of Kurdistan involvement, the largest party in Iraq's Sulaymaniyah Governorate); 'This is a disgusting plan by both parties in power, which are the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Sulaimani and the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Erbil,', he said, adding that he expects 'more [of the same] from both parties in the future,'.[8] [9]
In the following weeks, several members of the movement have been arrested including the secretary of the leader, the director of Nalia group (founded by Abdulwahid) and social media staff members. Some political parties outside the PUK and KDP condemned the arrests, including the Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal) the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), and The Freedom Movement of Kurdistan Society (Tevgera Azad).[10]
On 10 May 2019, four arrested members of the New Generation said Abdulwahid ordered them to threaten Shadi Nawzad. They also claimed that the Movement has two social media departments; one that administrates and manages the official social media pages, and the other that uses non-direct accounts and pages to attack political leaders.[11]
On the same day, Abdulwahid reacted with stating that the Sulaymaniyah Asayesh (which detained the party members and released their confessions) are to blame because they want to 'target and defame' the Movement. He added that 'When we took this path we knew that it is a difficult path. We also knew that changing a system or toppling a KDP and PUK establishment in Kurdistan is not easy'. He stated that 'We will continue and not give up'.[12]
On 16 May 2019, the leader of the Movement, Shashwar Abdulwahid was detained after appearing in a Slimani (Sulaymaniyah) court.[13]
Later, it was stated that Abdulwahid had gone on a hunger strike, with his health 'unstable' by 22 May 2019.[14]