KRG Reaffirms 14.14% Population Share in Iraq’s 2027 Federal Budget

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Kurdistan Region Council of Ministers has reaffirmed that the Region’s 14.14 percent share of Iraq’s population, based on the 2024 general population census, must serve as the basis for determining its share of the federal budget, while calling for equal financial entitlements for public employees and other beneficiaries across Iraq.

The Council also stressed that salaries and financial entitlements for public employees, Peshmerga forces, retirees, families of martyrs, political prisoners, and social welfare beneficiaries in the Kurdistan Region must be provided on an equal basis with their counterparts in other parts of Iraq, without political disputes or unjustified restrictions.

The statement came on Wednesday, during a Council of Ministers meeting chaired by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, with Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani in attendance.

During the meeting, the Council reviewed the latest developments in negotiations between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) delegation and the federal government over the Region’s constitutional rights and financial entitlements ahead of the preparation of Iraq’s 2027 federal budget bill.

The KRG negotiating delegation presented a report on its recent meetings with the federal Ministry of Finance, outlining the discussions held and the proposals put forward so far.

Following its review, the Council expressed concerns about several proposed provisions and approaches, emphasizing that any agreement must respect the Kurdistan Region’s constitutional rights and financial entitlements.

The Council said the 14.14 percent population figure, established by Iraq’s 2024 general population census, must constitute the basis for calculating the Region’s share of the federal budget.

It further emphasized that the financial entitlements of the Region’s public employees and other eligible groups must not be tied to political disputes or subjected to unjustified restrictions, citing the Iraqi Constitution, applicable legislation, and binding decisions of the Iraqi federal Supreme Court.

The Council reaffirmed its support for the KRG negotiating delegation and called for continued dialogue with Baghdad to reach a fair and constitutional agreement that safeguards the rights of the Kurdistan Region and its citizens while establishing a lasting and equitable solution to outstanding financial disputes.

In a separate decision, the Council of Ministers approved a proposal from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to waive all penalties imposed for delays in paying social security contributions, provided that employers settle their full accumulated debts to the Social Security Fund within 90 working days.

The measure aims to ease the financial burden on employers, encourage compliance with social security contribution requirements, and increase the fund’s revenues.

The fund finances services for workers, protects their rights and entitlements, and provides retirement pensions.