Iraqi Kurdistan’s KDP and PUK hold talks on government formation

Iraqi Kurdistans KDP and PUK hold first round of talks on government formation — PUK’s Qubad Talabani (left) with KDP’s Hoshyar Zebari (right), Sulaimani city, Iraqi Kurdistan, November 29, 2024. Photo: Talabani’s office/via iKurd.net

SULAIMANI, Iraqi Kurdistan region,— Negotiation delegations from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) met in Sulaimani city on Saturday to begin discussions on forming a new Kurdistan government.

The meeting comes over a month after the parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, which were held in October 2024.

The first round of talks was held at the PUK’s Politburo headquarters in Sulaimani, where discussions centered around the post-election phase and the future direction of the Kurdish parliament’s sixth term.

According to a statement released by Qubad Talabani, a member of the PUK’s Political Bureau and deputy prime minister in the outgoing Kurdistan Regional Government KRG, the two parties explored how to work together in ways that serve the best interests of the people of Kurdistan.

The statement also indicated that both parties were open to continuing discussions, not only with each other but also with other Kurdish political groups. While the KDP has not yet provided any comment on the meeting, they have expressed a willingness to engage in discussions with all parties involved.

Dilshad Shahab, a member of the KDP’s team responsible for government formation, said earlier this week that the KDP is ready to talk to everyone without any preconditions. He emphasized that the party’s doors are open to negotiations, highlighting that no agreements would be made without dialogue.

With no party securing an outright majority in the election, the Kurdistan region will have to form a coalition government, a process that has been the norm in past elections. While the KDP and PUK are traditionally rivals, they have often shared power in the regional government, which could make cooperation between the two parties vital for stability.

In addition to the KDP and PUK, smaller parties are also playing a key role in the formation of the new government.

Earlier this week, a PUK delegation, led by Qubad Talabani, visited Ali Bapir, the leader of the Kurdistan Justice Group (Komal). The Komal party, which is an Islamic political group previously known as the Kurdish Islamic Group (KIG), secured three seats in the 100-member parliament but has been highly critical of the two major ruling parties.

During the election campaign and after the results were announced, Komal declared its intention to boycott the parliament, citing concerns over alleged electoral fraud.

Several other opposition groups, including the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), the People’s Front (Beray Gael), and the National Stance Movement (Halwest), have also rejected the election results, accusing the authorities of vote manipulation and fraud.

Qubad Talabani, a member of the PUK’s Political Bureau (left) shakes hands with Salahadin Bahaddin, the general secretary of the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), Sulaimani, Iraqi Kurdistan, November 28, 2024. Photo: Talabani’s Press Office/via iKurd.net

The New Generation Movement NGM (Newey Nwê), which has positioned itself as a strong critic of both the KDP and the PUK, came in third in the elections, securing 15 seats. NGM leader Shaswar Abdulwahid stated last week that any party seeking to form the next government would find it easiest by negotiating with NGM, as his party supports a new direction for the region’s leadership.

The parliamentary elections, originally scheduled for 2022, were delayed for two years and resulted in a stronger position for the KDP, which won 39 seats. The PUK gained 32 seats, while NGM secured 15.

The new parliament will hold its inaugural session on December 2, 2024, as announced by Kurdistan region president Nechirvan Barzani, who issued a decree calling on the newly elected lawmakers to take their oaths of office.

As the talks on government formation continue, the Kurdish parties face the challenge of navigating both internal rivalries and the need for cooperation in order to establish a stable government that can address the needs of the Kurdish population.

Iraqi Kurdistan is not a single, unified region. It is divided both politically and geographically between two main parties: the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by the Barzani family, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), led by the Talabani family. The Barzanis control the Erbil and Duhok governorates, while the Talabanis oversee Sulaimani.

(With files from Rudaw)