SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is expected to visit the Kurdistan Region soon to facilitate negotiations for the formation of the 10th cabinet of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and to encourage broader political participation, multiple sources informed Zoom News.
The visit follows requests from various organizations for PM Sudani to mediate between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and to ensure the inclusion of other political parties in the new cabinet. PM Sudani confirmed his travel plans to Erbil after the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) ruled on appeals concerning the results of the October 20 Kurdistan parliamentary elections.
After the announcement of the final election results on October 30, a total of 41 appeals were submitted by political parties during the three-day appeal period, which concluded on Sunday, according to Jumana al-Ghalai, spokesperson for the IHEC.
Highlighting the importance of forming the new KRG cabinet, PM Sudani emphasized his commitment to actively participating in the process and facilitating negotiations among the various political factions. His involvement is seen as crucial, given his previous success in establishing local governments in Diyala and Kirkuk provinces.
The formation of the new KRG is expected to be challenging, as no single party has secured enough seats to govern independently. The KDP and PUK, as the leading parties with the most seats, must collaborate or bring in additional parties to form the 10th KRG cabinet.
Following a two-year delay due to disputes among ruling parties, the Kurdistan parliamentary elections were conducted under IHEC supervision on October 20. The results revealed that the KDP retained its dominant position with 39 seats, followed by the PUK with 23 seats, and the New Generation Movement with 15 seats.
