PUK urges consensus to break KRG deadlock

Shafaq News- Raparin

The formation of a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) depends on political consensus rather than competition over positions, senior Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) official Qubad Talabani said on Sunday, urging Kurdish parties to focus on cooperation to overcome the Region’s prolonged political paralysis.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to the Raparin administration in Al-Sulaymaniyah province, Talabani affirmed that the PUK remains open to talks with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and other political forces. He argued that the real obstacle is not the continuation of negotiations but the willingness of parties to embrace balance, coexistence, and mutual acceptance.

KDP official Pshtiwan Sadiq had remarked on May 27 that his party would resume discussions with Kurdish political forces following an initiative by the party’s leader, Masoud Barzani, aimed at advancing efforts to form a new cabinet.

Political disagreements between the two main Kurdish parties, the KDP and the PUK, have stalled government formation since the October 2024 elections, in which the KDP won 39 seats and the PUK secured 23 in the 100-member parliament. Lawmakers briefly convened on December 3 but failed to elect a speaker or move forward with cabinet formation, leaving the legislature at a standstill.

Read more: Kurdistan Region’s political deadlock: Impact and perils