ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has begun an internal selection process for ministerial posts in the upcoming tenth cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), as cabinet formation talks with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) continue, Rudaw has learned.
According to information obtained by Rudaw, KDP cadres have begun submitting resumes through internal party channels to be considered for ministerial positions in the new cabinet.
The KDP has also formed a committee to review the applications. The committee is chaired by Pishtwan Sadiq, the KRG’s current Minister of Endowment and senior KDP figure.
The development follows the joint statement issued by the KDP and the PUK on Tuesday, declaring that the two ruling parties had made “positive steps and good progress” in ongoing government formation talks. The statement followed a meeting between the parties’ negotiating delegations.
Rudaw had learned that Tuesday’s talks focused on the distribution of ministerial portfolios in the anticipated cabinet.
The Kurdistan Region held delayed parliamentary elections in October. The KDP emerged as the leading party with 39 seats in the 100-member legislature, followed by the PUK with 23 seats. As no single party won a majority, a governing coalition will need to be formed, as has traditionally been the case.
Fadhil Basharati, a former Kurdistan parliament lawmaker representing the KDP, said on Tuesday that the PUK is seeking the interior ministry portfolio in the upcoming cabinet.
Speaking to Rudaw’s Sangar Abdulrahman, Basharati noted that the PUK “has asked for the interior ministry, as far as I know." He argued however that based on "the election results,” the interior minister position should be allocated to the winning party - the KDP.
Basharati further stressed that “in light of the election results, the prime minister position has been agreed upon, and it is the KDP's right [to fill it]."
Previous statements from the KDP and PUK had underscored the need to develop a robust and inclusive governance mechanism.
Importantly, the delay in government formation has also had a significant impact on the Kurdistan Region’s legislative authority.
Since the October elections, the Region’s parliament has convened only once in early December, during which no speaker, deputy speaker, or secretary were elected. No further sessions have been scheduled, as lawmakers are seemingly awaiting the outcome of the government formation talks between the KDP and PUK.
Sirwan Abbas contributed to this report.
