KDP Finalizes Candidates as Iraq Moves to Complete Cabinet
The KDP has nominated Bangin Rekani for deputy prime minister and Rebaz Hamlan for ministry of construction and housing as Iraqi parties finalize candidates ahead of an expected parliamentary vote Monday.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has finalized its nominees for Iraq's new government cabinet as political blocs move toward completing the remaining ministerial appointments, with parliament expected to vote on the candidates on Monday.
Sherwan Dubardani, a member of the KDP bloc in the Iraqi Parliament, told Kurdistan24 on Saturday that the party has nominated Bangin Rekani for deputy prime minister and Rebaz Hamlan for minister of construction and housing.
The nominations form part of a wider effort by Iraq's political parties to complete Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's cabinet after months of negotiations over several unresolved portfolios.
According to information obtained by Kurdistan24, Prime Minister al-Zaidi has informed the parliament presidency that the curricula vitae of all ministerial candidates will be submitted to lawmakers on Sunday, Oct. 11.
A parliamentary session to vote on the nominees is expected to take place the following day, Monday, Oct. 12.
Other political blocs have also moved to settle their choices.
Mushreq al-Freiji, a senior figure in the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, told Kurdistan24 that the Shiite parties had finalized their ministerial nominees.
According to Freiji, Yasser Sukhail of the State of Law Coalition has been nominated for interior minister, while Haider Baha, also from State of Law, has been put forward for higher education minister.
Mohammed Mousawi of Asaib Ahl al-Haq has been nominated for the Labor Ministry, while Safa Kinani of the National Wisdom Movement has been selected for the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
The nominations also include candidates for two portfolios that are expected to be newly created.
Mohammed Sahib Daraji has been proposed for the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence, while Ali Dakhil of the Muntasirun bloc has been nominated to head the Ministry of Tourism.
Freiji said Laith Khazali and Mohsen Mandalawi remain candidates for the post of deputy prime minister, indicating that some senior appointments have yet to be fully resolved.
Sunni political parties have also finalized their nominees, according to Kurdistan24's information.
Mohammed Tamim of the Taqaddum Party has been nominated for deputy prime minister, while Ali Araji of the Hasm Alliance has been selected as the candidate for defense minister.
The Azm Alliance has nominated Ali Nuaimi for planning minister and Zaid Ali for culture minister.
The Turkmen component is also expected to receive a cabinet position.
A source from the Iraqi Turkmen Front told Kurdistan24 that the Turkmen share would be the newly proposed Ministry of State Affairs, with Mohammed Samaan, head of the Turkmen Front and governor of Kirkuk, nominated for the position.
The Ministry of Migration and Displacement remains less settled.
According to the information available to Kurdistan24, the portfolio is expected to be allocated to the Soyana bloc. However, disagreements among political parties remain, raising the possibility that a consensus candidate could ultimately be selected instead.
Negotiations are expected to continue through Saturday evening, particularly within the Coordination Framework, as the parties seek to resolve outstanding differences before the candidates are formally presented to parliament.
The cabinet is also expected to expand through the creation of three additional ministries: Tourism, Artificial Intelligence and State Affairs.
If approved, the new portfolios would alter the structure of the government as al-Zaidi seeks to complete a cabinet that has remained partially unresolved since he took office.
The prolonged process dates back to Iraq's parliamentary elections in November 2025.
Political disagreements among the country's major blocs delayed the formation of the new government for several months.
In April 2026, the Coordination Framework nominated Ali Faleh al-Zaidi for prime minister, after which Iraq's president formally tasked him with forming the government.
Parliament granted confidence in May to a number of ministers presented by al-Zaidi, allowing the government to begin operating.
Several politically sensitive portfolios, however, remained unresolved, including the Interior and Defense ministries and a number of other cabinet positions.
The latest nominations indicate that Iraq's parties are now seeking to close those remaining gaps.
Monday's expected parliamentary session will therefore be an important stage in determining whether the competing blocs have reached sufficient agreement to complete the government.
While the KDP, Sunni parties and several Shiite blocs have put forward their preferred candidates, some positions remain subject to negotiations, and nominations will still require parliamentary approval before appointments are finalized.
Kurdistan24's journalist Biryar Seyidamin contributed to this report.