KDP Says Relations Strong With Iraq's Major Political Blocs

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The Kurdistan Democratic Party has finalized its candidates for two senior posts in Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh Zaidi's government, with Hoshyar Zebari confirming Bangin Rekani for deputy prime minister and Rebaz Hamlan for minister of construction and housing as negotiations continue over completing the cabinet.

Zebari, a member of the Executive Board of the KDP Politburo, said in an interview with an Iraqi television channel that the party had settled its choices, while acknowledging that the broader process of completing the government could take longer than initially expected.

"Our candidate for deputy prime minister is Bangin Rekani, and our candidate for the Ministry of Construction and Housing is Rebaz Hamlan," Zebari said.

The nominations confirm information previously given to Kurdistan24 by Sherwan Dubardani, a member of the KDP bloc in the Iraqi Parliament, who said the party had selected the same two candidates.

Zebari also spoke positively about Prime Minister Zaidi, describing him as "an honest man" and saying his views correspond with those of the KDP on many issues.

He added that Zaidi wants to restore Iraq's standing and prestige.

However, Zebari suggested that completing the cabinet could take longer than political blocs had earlier hoped.

He said the government should ideally be completed by Tuesday morning, but described that prospect as difficult because some internal issues remain unresolved and several proposed names are still being reviewed by the prime minister and his team.

"If the names are not submitted on Tuesday, the matter will be postponed until next week or the week after," Zebari said.

His remarks indicate a less certain timetable than earlier expectations surrounding the remaining appointments.

Kurdistan24 previously reported that Zaidi had informed the parliament presidency that the curricula vitae of ministerial nominees would be submitted to lawmakers, with political blocs moving toward a parliamentary vote on the remaining cabinet positions.

Several parties have already named their preferred candidates.

Shiite blocs have put forward nominees for the Interior, Higher Education, Labor, Youth and Sports ministries, as well as proposed new portfolios for Artificial Intelligence and Tourism.

Sunni parties have also identified candidates for deputy prime minister, Defense, Planning and Culture.

The Iraqi Turkmen Front is expected to receive the proposed Ministry of State Affairs, while the Ministry of Migration and Displacement has remained subject to disagreement among political forces.

The nominations are part of a prolonged effort to complete a government that has remained partially unfinished since Zaidi took office.

Iraq's parliamentary elections were held in November 2025, but political disagreements delayed government formation for several months.

The Coordination Framework nominated Zaidi for prime minister in April 2026, after which he was formally tasked with forming the government.

Parliament approved a number of his ministers in May, allowing the government to begin operating, but several sensitive and politically contested portfolios remained unresolved.

Zebari's latest comments suggest negotiations are continuing over those outstanding positions despite the progress made by individual blocs in naming their candidates.

He also emphasized the KDP's relationships with other Iraqi political forces, saying the party maintains strong ties across the political spectrum.

Zebari highlighted particularly close relations with the National Wisdom Movement and the State of Law Coalition, describing the KDP's links with both as longstanding.

He also said relations with Mohammed al-Halbousi had reached a very good level through direct dialogue.

According to Zebari, both Sunni and Shiite parties have told the KDP that they would support the candidates selected by the party.

He said the KDP, in return, would support the candidates chosen by those political forces.

That approach reflects the broader system of negotiations surrounding cabinet formation, in which Iraq's main political blocs are seeking agreement over their respective nominees before the remaining names are submitted for parliamentary approval.

While the KDP's choices for deputy prime minister and construction and housing are now settled, Zebari's remarks show that the final completion of the cabinet still depends on resolving outstanding disagreements elsewhere in the political process.

The next stage will therefore hinge on whether Zaidi and the parliamentary blocs can settle the remaining names quickly enough to move the entire package toward a vote, or whether the process will extend into the coming weeks.