PUK stresses key federal posts as right, submits KRG formation proposal

Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) considers certain federal positions, including the Iraqi presidency, a non-negotiable electoral entitlement, party spokesperson Karwan Gaznayi said on Thursday, as the party submitted its proposal for forming a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

Gaznayi said in a press conference that the proposal reflects the PUK’s “core vision for governance,” stressing that the party will not back down from its main provisions, amid ongoing talks with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) over the formation of the Region’s next cabinet.

Relations between the two main Kurdish parties have remained strained since Iraq’s parliamentary elections, with Gaznayi noting that political differences have slowed dialogue and left several files unresolved. He described a recent meeting between the PUK and the KDP as “not bad,” saying it helped prepare the ground for further discussions but did not result in a breakthrough.

According to Gaznayi, the dispute centers on two fundamental issues: competing approaches to governance and disagreements over the distribution of positions. He emphasized that the deadlock is not tied to a single post and that no individual position has alone blocked the formation of a government.

The Kurdistan Region held parliamentary elections on October 20, 2024, but the PUK and the KDP have yet to reach an agreement to form the region’s tenth cabinet.

Addressing what he described as the PUK’s political entitlements, particularly the Iraqi presidency, Gaznayi said the party views some positions as its legitimate right based on electoral results and therefore not subject to compromise. He added that the PUK has not yet named its candidate for the presidency, but a nominee will be announced in the coming period.

Securing the party’s political rights at the federal level, Gaznayi said, requires a unified stance and a single, consistent political message.