President Masoud Barzani, Nouri al-Maliki Hold Strategic Talks in Pirmam as Post-Election Negotiations Intensify

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — President Masoud Barzani on Saturday received Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition, in Pirmam, where the two leaders discussed Iraq’s post-election political landscape and the next steps toward forming the country’s new federal government.

According to a statement from President Barzani’s office, the meeting reviewed the results of Iraq’s parliamentary elections and the political phase that follows.

Both sides stressed the need to ensure that election outcomes serve the interests of the Iraqi people and contribute to political stability across the country.

They also exchanged views on regional developments and agreed to continue joint consultations, coordination, and cooperation among key Iraqi political actors.

In a separate statement from Maliki’s office, regarding this meeting, the State of Law leader congratulated President Barzani on the successful completion of the electoral process and the fulfillment of constitutional requirements.

Maliki underscored the importance of accelerating efforts to form the next government to meet public expectations, strengthen stability, and safeguard Iraq’s democratic trajectory.

Following his meeting with President Barzani, al-Maliki also held talks with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. The two reviewed Iraq’s overall political situation after the Nov. 11 vote and discussed ongoing negotiations among political blocs to shape the next federal cabinet.

Both leaders highlighted the importance of resolving outstanding issues between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government in Baghdad, emphasizing that durable solutions must be rooted in the Iraqi Constitution and prior agreements.

In the Nov. 11 elections, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by President Masoud Barzani, secured 27 seats with 1,109,297 votes, while al-Maliki’s State of Law Coalition won 29 seats with 728,446 votes.

As is customary after every election cycle, leading Arab Shiite and Sunni leaders traveled to Erbil to consult with the KDP leadership—particularly President Barzani and Deputy Leader Masrour Barzani—whose support traditionally plays a decisive role in forming the federal government.

Earlier on Saturday, the Islamic Dawa Party formally and unanimously nominated Nouri al-Maliki as its candidate for prime minister, marking a significant potential return of the former premier to the helm of Iraq’s executive authority.

His nomination came shortly after his arrival in Erbil at the head of a high-ranking delegation from the Coordination Framework for crucial discussions with top KDP leaders.

Speaking earlier in the day from Baghdad, Maliki dismissed speculation of an internal move to block outgoing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani within the Shiite alliance.

“There is no decision within the Coordination Framework to prevent Sudani from the position of Prime Minister of Iraq,” he said. However, he emphasized that all candidates must meet the Framework’s established criteria, indicating that a stringent vetting process remains underway.

Maliki projected confidence in the timeline ahead, stating that a new government could be formed “within a month after the ratification of the election results,” insisting that political consensus remains the determining factor—one Iraqi leaders hope to secure swiftly to avoid the prolonged stalemates that have hindered previous government formation efforts.