Iraqi Kurdistan’s President Masoud Barzani announced he could leave his post in order to overcome differences between various political forces in the autonomous region, the president’s press secretary Kefah Mahmud told on Monday.

Axar.az reports that, according to Kefah Mahmud, Barzani "is ready to lend support to a candidate that will satisfy opposition." The initiative stipulates the replacement of the parliament leader, dissolution of the current government and the formation of a new government. “Barzani kicked the ball of the political game to the court of opposition parties. His initiative made it easy for them to make a retaliatory decision,” Mahmud said.

The ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party is facing political differences with opposition parties that demand changing the president of the autonomous region.

The Iraqi Kurdistan region mainly populated by Kurds de-facto gained autonomy in October 1991. In July 2014, Barzani announced his intention to hold a referendum on independence in the coming months. Organizing the referendum was delayed because the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) became embroiled in the fight against the Islamic State jihadist group, which is banned in Russia and many other countries worldwide.