“The PUK and KDP are set to hold a meeting on January 7, 2025,” PUK spokesperson Saadi Ahmed Pira told Rudaw.
The Kurdish parties last met in mid-December, where they again discussed the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) new cabinet.
“Both sides agreed to prepare a joint program for the principles on which Kurdistan’s governance will be conducted in the next phase, in a way that protects the position and stability of the Kurdistan Region and the rights and interests of its citizens and communities,” the Kurdish parties said in a joint statement after the previous meeting.
An informed source from the PUK’s leadership council told Rudaw that the next meeting will discuss the government agenda and the distribution of positions among the parties.
“A joint committee of the PUK and KDP will prepare a draft and present the government program for the next cabinet,” the source said, requesting anonymity.
The Kurdistan Region held its long-overdue elections in October, resulting in a consolidation of power for the ruling KDP which won 39 seats, followed by the PUK with 23. The opposition New Generation Movement (NGM) took third place with 15 seats.
No single party won a majority in the parliament so a governing coalition will have to be formed, as has historically been the case. The KDP and PUK, while rivals, also share power in government.
But several parties including the Kurdistan Justice Group (Komal), the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), the People's Front (Baray Gal), and the National Stance Movement (Halwest) have repeatedly denounced the election results, alleging fraud and voter manipulation.
