Qubad Talabani Says Kurdish Unity in Baghdad Is Essential to Strengthen the Kurdistan Region’s Position

Peregraf – Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)  Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani has urged Kurdish parties to overcome internal divisions and coordinate their positions in Baghdad, warning that the Kurdistan Region’s influence is at risk as Iraq’s other political blocs move swiftly to shape the next federal government.

Talabani’s remarks came during his meeting on Tuesday with Janet Alberda, the Netherlands’ Ambassador to Iraq. He stressed that “for the position of the Region to be stronger, we must strengthen the position of the Kurds in Baghdad,” adding that unity among Kurdish parties is essential at this stage.

“We emphasized that Iraq needs an effective and strong government that is satisfactory to all components and that can fundamentally resolve the issues between the Kurdistan Region and Baghdad in cooperation with the Kurdistan Regional Government,” Talabani said.

His comments come at a moment of unprecedented political paralysis in the Kurdistan Region. More than a year after voters cast their ballots, the main Kurdish parties remain locked in a deeper and increasingly bitter internal rift—one that has stalled the formation of the next KRG cabinet and now threatens to sideline the Kurds in Baghdad’s high-stakes negotiations.

A Region Divided Against Itself

On paper, Kurdish representation in the Iraqi Parliament remains significant, with a combined 58 seats across the major lists, in addition to five quota seats held by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). But the numbers mask a fractured political landscape:

• KDP: 27 seats + 5 quota

• PUK: 18

• Halwest: 5

• Yakgirtu: 4

• New Generation: 3

• Komal: 1

The rivalry between the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)—the dominant forces in Kurdish politics for three decades—has escalated to its most confrontational point since the late 1990s civil war era. Their disagreements over election results, constitutional authority, security control, and the distribution of power between Erbil and Sulaimaniyah have frozen political life in the Region.

This deadlock has prevented the formation of a new KRG cabinet and left the Kurdistan Parliament in limbo. Ministries and security institutions increasingly function along partisan lines, with little centralized coordination.

Baghdad Moves On—Without the Kurds

While the Kurdish parties remain divided, Baghdad’s Shia and Sunni blocs are advancing with unusual cohesion.

The Shia Coordination Framework—commanding more than 170 seats—registered itself on November 20 as the largest parliamentary bloc, securing the constitutional right to nominate Iraq’s next prime minister. In meeting No. 250, its leaders laid out a plan to swiftly form committees, interview candidates, and push for a rapid transition.

In parallel, Sunni parties delivered a rare show of unity. Winning more than 70 seats, they established the National Political Council—a joint platform joining Taqaddum, Azm, Siyada, Al-Hasm and the Jamaheer Party. The council aims to unify positions and negotiate collectively over the next four years.

Kurdish Influence at Risk

The contrast is stark: while Iraq’s Shia and Sunni forces approach negotiations with unified agendas, the Kurdish front enters divided and politically weakened. Leaders in Baghdad increasingly believe the KDP and PUK will negotiate separately—an approach that could diminish Kurdish leverage and allow other blocs to shape the cabinet without significant Kurdish input.