KRG deputy PM says cabinet formation speeding up

yesterday at 11:16
Rudaw
A+ A-
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani said on Wednesday that the latest high-level meetings between the ruling parties have accelerated the formation of the upcoming government cabinet, expecting a final agreement soon.

Talabani, who is also a senior member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), said in a Facebook post that after his party and its main rival, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), “agreed on a draft for a common vision for governance, the government formation process has accelerated and we are optimistic about signing a final agreement soon.”

Earlier in the week, both ruling parties held high-level meetings following months of discussions between negotiation committees.

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, who is also a deputy KDP leader, met with the PUK leader Bafel Talabani in Erbil on Sunday, where they discussed the formation of the new cabinet. Both sides said that they had made “very good” progress in the government formation process.

Earlier on Wednesday, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani also received ambassador Fontana in Erbil, where they discussed the ongoing efforts to form the Kurdistan Region’s new government. Barzani described the progress as positive.

The Kurdistan Region held delayed parliamentary elections in October. The KDP came out on top, securing 39 spots in the 100-member legislature. The PUK came in second with 23 seats.

Since no single party won a majority, a governing coalition will need to be formed, as has traditionally been the case, to form a new cabinet. However, the two parties have not yet finalized their agreement.

Following the elections, PUK leaders have repeatedly emphasized the need to work in partnership with the KDP to establish a robust and inclusive governing structure.

Though the KDP and PUK are rivals, they have shared power in government since the establishment of the Kurdistan Region in the 1990s.

Comments

Rudaw moderates all comments submitted on our website. We welcome comments which are relevant to the article and encourage further discussion about the issues that matter to you. We also welcome constructive criticism about Rudaw.

To be approved for publication, however, your comments must meet our community guidelines.

We will not tolerate the following: profanity, threats, personal attacks, vulgarity, abuse (such as sexism, racism, homophobia or xenophobia), or commercial or personal promotion.

Comments that do not meet our guidelines will be rejected. Comments are not edited – they are either approved or rejected.

Post a comment

Required
Required
 

The Latest

Four members of a family in Sulaimani’s Said Sadiq district who were killed on March 19, 2025. Graphic: Rudaw

Man kills himself, five family members in Sulaimani province

A man from Sulaimani province’s Said Sadiq district tragically killed himself and five members of his family late Wednesday, Sulaimani police spokesperson told Rudaw on Thursday. He had recently returned from Europe.