PUK leader: Ready to negotiate on the formation of a new government
Shafaq News/ On Wednesday, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bafel Talabani announced his party’s readiness to enter negotiations for forming a new government in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region.
Speaking during a panel at the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) Forum in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, He stated that “conditions are favorable for implementing changes within the Kurdistan Region.”
“We will never be in opposition. It is crucial for all parties to participate in the political process,” Talabani emphasized.
Regarding the formation of a new government, he said, "We are ready to engage in negotiations with all parties, but in a new different approach that moves beyond past methods."
The PUK leader expressed his wish to form a new government as soon as possible, stressing the need to “rebuild citizens' trust in Kurdistan Region institutions. We are no longer in the 1990s, and the next government should remain free from partisan influence.”
PUK emerged as the second-largest political faction in the Kurdistan Region’s sixth parliamentary elections, securing a total of 23 seats, following the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which led with 39 seats.
The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced the final results on Wednesday, revealing the PUK's strong showing, particularly in Al-Sulaymaniyah, where it won the majority with 15 of the 38 seats allocated for the province. The PUK also gained six seats in Erbil and one in Halabja. In Duhok, where the KDP traditionally dominates, the PUK secured one seat out of the 25.
