ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) announced on Thursday that the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is refusing to proceed with forming the Kurdistan Region’s next cabinet until after Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections, stressing that the KDP “does not accept” this stance.
In a statement, the KDP's government negotiations team remarked that government formation talks between the two parties “have revealed that the PUK will not move forward to reach an agreement [on forming the Region’s next cabinet] until after Iraq’s parliamentary elections.”
The PUK “has been repeatedly warned that such a delay is not in the interest of the Kurdistan Region, and the KDP does not accept it.”
The Kurdistan Region held its long-delayed parliamentary elections in October 2024. The ruling KDP emerged victorious with 39 out of 100 seats, followed by the PUK with 23.
As is customary, the two major parties are negotiating to form a coalition government, but a new cabinet has yet to be finalized.
In an interview with Rudaw earlier this week, former US Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad expressed concern over the delay in forming the government, saying, “I would like to see more of the two parties working together,” and called for “greater Kurdish unity.”
Recalling his experience during the drafting of Iraq’s 2005 Constitution, he said he had been a “witness to Kurdish unity” when President Barzani and the late PUK leader and former Iraqi President Jalal Talabani joined forces to safeguard Kurdish rights during that historic process.
The veteran US diplomat urged the KDP and PUK to “sit together” and follow the leadership of President Barzani, whom he described as the “father figure for Kurdistan” whose “role and responsibility is to convene, encourage and lead.”
“Kurdistan cannot reach its full potential, cannot wield its influence in Baghdad, and cannot achieve independence from regional influences - some of which are not to the interest of Kurdistan - if the Kurds can be used against each other and do not cooperate,” Khalilzad warned.
What impedes government formation?
After numerous meetings, the KDP says they have accepted 80 percent of the demands presented by the PUK.
However, the biggest issue impending the government formation is the post of the interior minister which the PUK wants, but the KDP refuses to give up.
"We have been negotiating for a year and we have taken a lot of steps, but there is one thing in politics. Understanding is one thing and imposing [will] is another. One party should not try to twist the other party's arms," he said.
Asked why the KDP does not agree to give PUK the interior ministry post, he replied: "We have decided and it is our right. How many seats do we have? How many seats do the PUK comrades have? Although we have not dealt with the PUK on the basis of seats, we cannot deal with each other on the basis of seats."
Mirani said, however, there are many other options on the table they could pick including the ministries of Peshmerga, finance, agriculture, higher education, and industry.
He said the PUK and KDP 'must put the internets" of the nation before any other interests and put the Kurdish house in order for a stronger unity against outside threats.
"I say we must protect the interests of our achievements," Mirani said, adding the two ruling Kurdish parties "carry most of the responsibilities in the Kurdistan Region."
Updated at 5:52pm