SOURCE: KDP, PUK make notable progress on Kurdish cabinet

Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have made “substantial progress” in negotiations to form the 10th cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government, an informed source revealed on Wednesday.

The source told Shafaq News that the two parties reached a preliminary draft agreement on Tuesday that will serve as the basis for the new government program. The session's discussions also included ministerial distribution and a framework for joint political coordination.

“A follow-up meeting will be held on Thursday, in al-Sulaymaniyah to address remaining points and finalize the agreement under a defined timeline,” the source disclosed.

Since the October 2024 parliamentary elections, Kurdish political blocs have failed to finalize a government.

The upcoming session follows a series of high-level contacts between both parties, including a key encounter in March between KDP’s Masrour Barzani and PUK’s Pavel Talabani, which led to a framework agreement covering most government posts.

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani recently called for expediting the formation of the KRG, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between the two leading Kurdish parties to prevent further delays in the process.