Political deadlock persists in Iraqi Kurdistan as KDP-PUK talks fail to form cabinet

Talks between Iraq's two main Kurdish parties have stalled again, prolonging a political deadlock in the Kurdistan Region. Disputes over the presidency, key ministries, and internal rivalries have blocked the formation of a new government six months after elections.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held another round of talks on Monday at the Dukan resort in Sulaimaniyah province, seeking to resolve a months-long deadlock over the formation of a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet following the 20 October parliamentary elections.

Sources told The New Arab that despite the high-level meeting between Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the KDP and PUK leader Bafel Talabani, no breakthrough was achieved. Qubad Talabani, the deputy KRG PM, also attended the meeting. 

"The meeting was in return for the visit by Mr Bafel to Mr Masrour [in Salahaddin resort]. At Monday's meeting, each side provided a list of key posts and ministerial portfolios that would be contemplated," PUK spokesperson Saedi Ahmed Pira told TNA.

"It was a rush-up meeting on the issues, and no decisions have been made. More meetings will be held soon," he added in a phone interview.

A well-informed Kurdish source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the PUK is demanding the Kurdistan Region presidency for Qubad Talabani, and that the KDP considers the proposal a red line, viewing the Kurdistan presidency as an electoral entitlement. Conceding it, the source said, would risk internal rifts within the Barzani family, who retain decisive influence within the party.

The presidency is currently held by Nechirvan Barzani, the KDP's deputy head and a senior member of the Barzani family.

The source also said the PUK is pushing for at least one "sovereign" post—either the interior ministry or the chancellorship of the Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC). The demands may be intended as leverage to ensure the KDP does not obstruct the PUK's claim to Iraq's presidency following the national elections scheduled for October.

Another Kurdish source, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said the PUK has stipulated that no ministerial portfolio be allocated to Lahur Sheikh Jangi's The People's Front party.

Jangi, formerly the co-president of the PUK, has stepped down following internal disputes. The People’s Front secured two seats in the election. According to the source, Jangi—who now maintains cordial relations with the KDP—has requested the KRG Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs, which is equivalent to the Ministry of Defence in Iraq.

The prolonged deadlock underscores the fragility of the region's power-sharing model, which mirrors Iraq's post-2003 ethno-sectarian framework, where top offices are divided among Kurds, Shia, and Sunni Arabs.

 Currently, the PUK holds Iraq's presidency, while the KDP controls the Kurdistan Region presidency, the KRG premiership, the interior ministry, the natural resources ministry, the foreign relations office, and the KRSC.

The political stalemate has further fuelled public frustration in the region, which is already facing persistent economic hardship.

The October elections saw a 72 percent turnout. Of the 100 parliamentary seats, 95 were contested by Kurdish factions, while five were reserved for minority communities. The KDP secured 39 seats and the PUK 23, reaffirming their political dominance but exposing their inability to cooperate.

Parliament convened for its first session on 3 December but failed to elect a speaker, deputies, or a secretary—essential roles required to launch the cabinet formation process. Under the regional laws, once these positions are filled, the president is elected and tasks the largest bloc, currently the KDP, with forming a government.

That process remains paralysed, as both sides refuse to compromise. The KDP seeks to retain both the presidency and the KRG premiership. The PUK, meanwhile, is demanding a more equitable share, including senior ministries.

The New Generation Movement (NGM), led by Shaswar Abdul Wahid and holding 15 seats, has declared itself in opposition. On 15 April, Abdul Wahid warned that if parliament does not reconvene within two weeks, his party will push to dissolve it, probably through Iraq's Supreme Federal Court and call for new elections.

"If the Kurdistan Parliament does not convene within the next two weeks, we will move to dissolve it. The Kurdistan Region cannot continue to function in this state of paralysis," he wrote on the X social media platform.

"Since November 2022, we have had neither a functioning parliament nor a credible government. Expect decisive action from the New Generation in the coming two weeks. There is still time to restore legitimacy. The Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections can be held alongside the Iraqi parliamentary elections this November—if there is the will to do so," he added.

Other opposition parties, including the Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG) and the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), have also criticised the electoral process, alleging voter fraud.

The October vote marked the first parliamentary elections in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region since 2018.

Kurdish sources close to negotiations in December 2024 told TNA that no breakthrough is expected before Iraq's October parliamentary elections.

"The power-sharing arrangement in the Kurdistan Region is closely tied to the position of Iraq's president," one source said.

"It's likely that we will not see a new KRG cabinet until after those elections," the source added.