Next KRG cabinet: KDP, PUK enter “detailed” phase of talks

Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) will meet on Sunday in Al-Sulaymaniyah to discuss the formation of the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet.

A source close to the PUK negotiating team told Shafaq News that the talks, expected to move into "a more detailed phase," are scheduled to take place at the PUK’s political bureau. Initially planned for earlier this week, they were delayed due to internal meetings of PUK leadership coinciding with National Day of Prayer events in Erbil, the source added.

Discussions will reportedly focus on the distribution of ministries and senior government posts. The two sides may also address the participation of other parties, including the Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party (KSDP), in the new cabinet.

The negotiations come amid calls for faster government formation to address political deadlock and economic challenges in the Kurdistan Region.

The KDP and PUK have traditionally shared power in the Region, but have often faced tensions over the distribution of government posts and authority.