KDP Politburo to Convene Amid Federal and KRG Government Formation Talks

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) will hold a senior-level Politburo meeting on Saturday in Pirmam, Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, party sources confirmed to Kurdistan24 on Thursday. The meeting, chaired by KDP President Masoud Barzani, will include the party’s vice presidents, Nechirvan Barzani and Masrour Barzani, as well as senior officials, who are expected to discuss key political developments in Iraq.

According to the source, the agenda will focus on several major issues: the post of Iraq’s President, the recent election of the Iraqi parliamentary leadership, the formation of the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and federal government, relations between Erbil and Baghdad, and the general political and security situation in Iraq and the wider region.

It remains unclear whether the KDP will nominate its own candidate for the Iraqi presidency, with the decision expected to be finalized during the meeting.

The Iraqi Parliament recently elected its new leadership for the sixth legislative term. Haibat al-Halbousi was chosen as Speaker, Adnan Faihan as First Deputy Speaker, and Farhad Atroushi, representing the KDP, as Second Deputy Speaker.

Under Article 72 of the Iraqi Constitution, the Parliament has 30 days from the election of its leadership to select a new President of the Republic. Once appointed, the President typically assigns the leader of the largest parliamentary bloc—traditionally the Shiite-dominated coalition—the mandate to form the federal government.

Iraq’s post-2003 political system operates under a delicate power-sharing arrangement among its Shiite, Sunni, and Kurdish communities. The presidency, while largely ceremonial, is critical in shaping the federal government and influencing the formation of the prime minister’s cabinet.

For the Kurdish political bloc, led mainly by the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), maintaining a unified position on federal appointments is crucial to safeguarding KRG interests in Baghdad.

Kurdistan Democratic Party’s internal deliberations are expected to be a decisive factor in shaping Iraq’s forthcoming presidential election inside the parliament and the subsequent formation of the federal government, underscoring the KDP’s central role as a key political actor with the experience, cohesion, and influence needed to steer critical national decisions during a pivotal phase for the country.

The KDP’s Politburo meeting comes at a pivotal time as Iraq balances parliamentary traditions, sectarian power-sharing, and regional dynamics. Observers suggest that the party’s decisions on the presidency and government formation will not only shape Baghdad–Erbil relations but also influence Iraq’s broader political dynamics.