Masrour Barzani Says PUK Made 'Wrong Assessment' as Talks Restart on New KRG Cabinet

Peregraf - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister and Deputy Head of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), Masrour Barzani, said on Tuesday that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) made a "wrong assessment" of the KDP during the previous attempts to form the Kurdistan Regional Government’s tenth cabinet, stressing that a new phase of negotiations is now underway following Iraq’s recent elections.

Speaking at the Middle East Peace and Security (MEPS) Forum in Duhok, Barzani recalled the stalled process of forming the KRG’s ninth cabinet. He said the KDP had shown "great flexibility and generosity," granting the PUK considerably more ministerial and senior posts than their vote share justified. Despite this, he said, the PUK demanded additional positions and ultimately refrained from moving forward with the government formation.

Barzani argued that the PUK had delayed the process intentionally, waiting for the outcome of Iraq’s national elections. "I believe they made a wrong assessment of the KDP, thinking that the KDP might weaken in the Iraqi elections, and then they could negotiate with the KDP from a superior position," he said.

He added that the situation has now changed after the elections, and that the KDP is entering negotiations for a new phase of dialogue on forming the next cabinet.

More than a year has passed since the Kurdistan Parliament election, but the government remains unformed due to disagreements between the KDP and the PUK over the distribution of key posts. The parliament has also remained inactive during this period.