KRG PM-designate meets with parties to discuss cabinet formation

The Prime Minister-designate of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Monday held a series of meetings on the formation of government with political parties...

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Prime Minister-designate of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on Monday held a series of meetings on the formation of government with political parties that are expected to be part of his cabinet.

Masrour Barzani, the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) nominee for the premiership, arrived in Sulaimani early in the day and met with politburo members of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party (KSDP), and Change Movement (Gorran), respectively.

The Kurdistan Region held a parliamentary election in late September in which the KDP secured 45 seats out of a total of 111 in the regional legislature, beating out the PUK’s 21 seats and Gorran, who won 12. Drawn-out talks finally concluded last month when lawmakers attended a session during which they elected Nechirvan Barzani as the new Kurdistan Region President, a post suspended since 2017.

Last week, the Kurdistan Region's Parliament named Masrour Barzani as prime minister-designate with 87 votes out of 97 attending lawmakers, following which President Nechirvan Barzani issued a formal letter asking him to form the new KRG cabinet. According to the legal procedure, the Prime Minister-designate has 30 days to present his ministerial portfolio to parliament for approval.

“The posts had already been decided among parties. Now, we will only receive the CVs of the candidates to discuss,” Masrour Barzani told reporters following a meeting with the KDP politburo on Sunday. “The candidates should be qualified and have the principles needed to become ministers.”

Masrour Barzani, KRG PM-designate, following a meeting with the Gorran politburo in Sulaimani on June, 17, 2019. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Masrour Barzani, KRG PM-designate, following a meeting with the Gorran politburo in Sulaimani on June, 17, 2019. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Fulfilling agreements

Following his first meeting, Barzani explained during a press conference that the purpose of the gatherings would be to receive the CVs of the different parties’ candidates for the posts they have been assigned as per their agreements with the KDP.

“Our duty is the formation of the government, and our PUK brothers are abiding by the agreements they have previously inked with the KDP,” Barzani said. His delegation included a number of senior KDP members and lawmakers from the Kurdistan Region parliament.

A KDP delegation led by KRG PM-designate Masrour Barzani in a meeting with the KDP politburo in Sulaimani on June, 17, 2019. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
A KDP delegation led by KRG PM-designate Masrour Barzani in a meeting with the KDP politburo in Sulaimani on June, 17, 2019. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)

Barzani also met with a delegation from the KSDP, a long-time ally of the KDP, headed by the party’s Secretary-General, Mohammad Haji Mahmoud. Barzani affirmed during a press briefing that Mahmoud’s party would have a seat at the ministerial table, that of the Minister for Anfal and Martyrs’ Affairs.

The region’s legislators are due to go on holiday July 1, after which they would not be able to hold a regular session to vote on Barzani’s ministerial nominees.

“We hope we will be able to complete [cabinet formation] before the parliament rises for summer recess, and if there are problems, we will talk to parliament so that they either hold an extraordinary session or extend their term so that we can form our cabinet,” said Barzani.

After his meeting with Gorran, Barzani expressed his optimism that the process would conclude in a timely manner. He also thanked Gorran for honoring the agreement they had signed with the KDP on government formation.

Editing by Nadia Riva