Peregraf- The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Thursday said negotiations with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) over forming the 10th cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have stalled, accusing the PUK of refusing to reach a deal before Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary elections.
In a statement, the KDP negotiating delegation said it has shown “maximum flexibility” in power-sharing talks, despite winning the highest number of seats in the 2024 Kurdistan parliamentary election. The party said it offered the PUK a major role in leading institutions and ministries, including security and economic portfolios.
According to the KDP, its proposal granted the PUK:
• Speakership of the Kurdistan Parliament
• Deputy President of the Kurdistan Region
• KRG Deputy Prime Minister
• 8–9 ministries, including key military, economic, financial, and service sectors
• Influential positions in security bodies and government boards
The KDP said the PUK has declined to finalize a deal and is waiting until after Iraqi parliamentary elections in Baghdad. The KDP delegation stressed that delaying the activation of Kurdistan parliament and forming a novel cabinet of the KRG is not in the Kurdistan region’s interest.
More than a year after the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary election, the KDP and PUK—the two largest winners—have failed to agree on distributing top posts. Despite more than 10 negotiating rounds, the main dispute concerns control of security institutions. According to a source familiar with the talks, the PUK insists on securing either the Ministry of Interior or the post of Security Council Advisor, and has requested either the head of the Kurdistan region’s presidency—demands the KDP rejects.
The KDP said KDP President Masoud Barzani supported the negotiation efforts and instructed the delegation to pursue an agreement that would ensure partnership and institutional stability.
The party reaffirmed its commitment to joint governance and urged the PUK not to obstruct the formation of the new cabinet.
“No party should, for any illogical reason, become an obstacle to reactivating parliament and forming a new government,” the KDP statement read.
The 10th KRG cabinet has remained unformed since the October 2024 election, leaving both the government and parliament completely operating outside the observation of The Kurdistan Parliament.