Bafel Talabani Says KDP’s Fuad Hussein Helped Preserve Balance After PUK Presidential Win

Peregraf — Bafel Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), spoke to reporters regarding Fuad Hussein, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) candidate, following the official election of the PUK nominee to the presidency of Iraq.

Speaking to the press after the position of President of the Republic was secured by his party on April 11, 2026, Talabani thanked Hussein and suggested that the KDP official had prioritized political stability. "I am certain he knew that to maintain balance, it might be more appropriate for this post to go to the PUK," Talabani told reporters.

Talabani described Hussein, who currently serves as the Iraq Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, as a "distinguished man" with a long history in Kurdish and Iraqi politics. Talabani claimed that Hussein could have pursued a more aggressive campaign but chose to minimize political friction. "I am sure he could have exerted much more effort and secured significantly more votes, but for the sake of national and Kurdish unity, and to ensure the process moved forward smoothly without complications or 'headaches', he conducted his politics in that way," he said.

Despite the KDP’s official stance, the session saw a fragmented attendance from various blocs. In the first round of voting, Hussein received 16 votes and did not advance to the runoff. Meanwhile, Nizar Amedi, the PUK candidate, was confirmed as the President of Iraq on Saturday after securing 227 votes in the second round.

The election followed an inconclusive first round where no candidate reached the two-thirds threshold of 220 votes. Amedi led the initial round with 208 votes before winning the simple majority in the runoff.

Amedi, 58, previously served as the Iraqi Minister of Environment from 2022 to 2024 and held senior advisory roles under former presidents Talabani, Fuad Masum, and Barham Salih. His presidency begins as political factions continue negotiations over government formation amidst the transition from war to diplomacy.