ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Friday extended his congratulations to Francois Bayrou on his appointment as prime minister of France.
In his congratulatory message, President Barzani said he wishes Bayrou “every success in his new roles and responsibilities.”
Bayrou, 73, is an ally of President Emmanuel Macron and his fourth prime minister this year. The veteran politician was appointed on Friday. He is expected to announce his cabinet in the coming days.
The new prime minister has to deal with a hung parliament and is expected to push for the passage of a special law to roll over the 2024 budget.
France and the Kurdistan Region enjoy close relations.
“I am confident that the historical relations between France and Kurdistan will continue to develop and prosper. I reaffirm the commitment of the Kurdistan Region to strengthening mutual cooperation in all areas, with the aim of achieving our common objectives,” said President Barzani.
The relationship between France and the Kurds dates back to the 1980s. Danielle Mitterrand, first lady of France from 1981 to 1995, advocated for Kurds suffering under the regime of Saddam Hussein and was instrumental in campaigning for the no-fly zone that allowed the Kurdistan Region to develop its current autonomy. She was affectionately known as the “Mother of Kurds” and inaugurated the first Kurdish parliament in 1992.
France was one of the first countries to open a consulate in the Kurdish capital Erbil after the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime in 2003 and played a critical role in helping Kurds in both Iraq and Syria in the war against the Islamic State (ISIS).
