Spokesperson says many "opinions" back the PUK's claim for half the Kurdish seats in the incoming cabinet

Shafaq News/ A spokesperson to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) said that certain parties endorse their endeavors to take over half the Kurdish seats in Mohammad Shiyaa al-Sudani's cabinet.

"The Kurds have four spots in the lineup," Soran Jamal Taher told reporters on Thursday, "many opine that the PUK should be assigned to half of them."

Taher's remarks came on contrary to a statement by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) member Shirzad Qasem, who confirmed that Masoud Barzani's party had secured three seats in the incoming cabinet.

"The KDP's share in the incoming government is three portfolios: foreign affairs, construction, and environment," Qasem told Shafaq News Agency, "the figures who will take over have already been named and will be voted upon today."

Qasem said that Bangin Rikani will hold the Construction portfolio and Vian Sabri will be the minister of Environment.

"Fuad Hussein will remain on the top of the foreign ministry," he added.

Iraq's legislative body is slated to convene a confidence vote on Prime Minister-designate Mohammad Shiyaa al-Sudani's cabinet later today at 0600 am.

That will end a thorny political deadlock that kept Mustafa al-Kadhimi's cabinet as a caretaker government for more than a year; the longest run for a caretaker government in Iraq's history.