KDP conditions support for PUK presidential nominee on KRG talks

Shafaq News– Erbil

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) put forward a political proposal to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) over the Iraqi presidency during talks in Erbil on Thursday, Shafaq News correspondent reported.

The KDP delegation offered to back its rival, the PUK’s nominee for the Iraqi presidency, in return for greater flexibility on the PUK’s demands related to forming the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet, the correspondent said.

The PUK has not announced an official response so far.

Political tensions between the two main political parties in the Kurdistan Region have paralyzed the Kurdish legislature since the October 2024 elections, when the KDP secured 39 of the parliament’s 100 seats, and the PUK won 23. Lawmakers convened briefly on December 3 but failed to elect a speaker or advance cabinet formation, leading to an open-ended suspension.

The rivalry extends to the federal level. In Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections, the KDP won 26 seats nationwide, compared with 15 for the PUK. Under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharing system, the Iraqi presidency is traditionally held by a Kurdish figure—most often from the PUK—while the KDP retains the Kurdistan Region presidency. Disputes over the post have also previously delayed government formation.

Earlier this week, a KDP source told Shafaq News that the party favors selecting a presidential candidate who can secure national acceptance and a broad Kurdish consensus.

Read more: Iraq’s Presidential Race: Kurdish candidates competing for the post