KDP, PUK Near Deal on New Kurdistan Government, Official Says
KDP official Ali Hussein says recent behind-the-scenes talks with the PUK have made progress toward forming the next Kurdistan government and reactivating parliament.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - A senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official said Sunday that relations with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have improved significantly, with the two parties moving closer to forming the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet and reactivating parliament.
Ali Hussein, head of the KDP Organization Bureau in Sulaimani and Halabja, said recent discussions between the two major Kurdish parties had produced "solid progress," signaling a possible breakthrough after months of political delay.
Speaking at a press conference, Hussein said the latest phase was particularly sensitive because both the formation of the new cabinet and the reactivation of the Kurdistan Parliament had been delayed.
Talks Continue Behind Closed Doors
Hussein said KDP and PUK representatives had held several meetings in recent days away from the media spotlight, with additional discussions expected this week.
He described the talks as part of efforts to overcome remaining political differences and establish the institutional basis for the next government.
"There is solid progress, and I believe these discussions will produce positive results," Hussein said.
He said the two parties were working simultaneously on reactivating parliament and forming the new cabinet, suggesting that the processes were closely linked.
The comments come as the KDP and PUK, the Kurdistan Region's two largest political forces, face pressure to resolve differences following the most recent parliamentary elections.
KDP Says PUK Remains a Partner
Hussein characterized the PUK as a longstanding political partner despite periods of tension between the two parties.
He said the KDP had maintained flexibility toward the PUK since the 1991 elections, arguing that the relationship should not be reduced simply to the number of parliamentary seats held by either party.
"Even now, we are not treating the PUK merely as a party with 23 seats; rather, we consider them our partner," Hussein said.
At the same time, he stressed that electoral results must be respected.
"Once an election has been held, the vote and will of the people must also be respected," he added.
The remarks reflect the delicate balance facing the KDP and PUK: maintaining their traditional partnership while negotiating government formation based on the latest distribution of parliamentary seats.
KDP Rejected Alternative Coalition
Hussein also disclosed that the New Generation Movement had approached the KDP last September through a political intermediary with a proposal to combine its 15 parliamentary seats with the KDP's bloc.
According to Hussein, the proposed alliance could have given the KDP a 50-plus-one majority and allowed it to form a government without the PUK.
He said the KDP rejected the proposal for two reasons.
First, he said, the party did not want to establish a government without the PUK because the two parties continue to complement one another politically.
Second, Hussein said New Generation leader Shaswar Abdulwahid was imprisoned at the time, and the KDP considered it inappropriate to reach such an agreement while he was unable to negotiate freely.
The decision, he suggested, underscored the KDP's preference for maintaining a broader political partnership rather than relying solely on an alternative parliamentary majority.
A Potential Path Out of the Deadlock
The latest statements indicate that negotiations between the KDP and PUK may be entering a more constructive phase.
The two parties have shared government responsibilities in the Kurdistan Region for decades, although their relationship has periodically been strained by disagreements over power-sharing, administration, security and political authority.
The formation of a new cabinet has consequently remained one of the central political challenges facing the Region.
Hussein's remarks suggest that the KDP now sees renewed engagement with the PUK as the most viable route toward restoring the Region's legislative and executive institutions.
Whether the current rapprochement produces a final agreement will depend on the parties resolving their remaining differences in the coming rounds of negotiations.
For now, Hussein's message is that the political channels remain open, meetings are continuing and the KDP still views the PUK as a partner in governing the Kurdistan Region.