Kurdish parties are close to deciding on a presidential candidate; a meeting is expected to resolve the dispute.
Kurdish parties are close to deciding on a presidential candidate; a meeting is expected to resolve the dispute.
2-16-2026
Information / Baghdad…
A calm and positive atmosphere prevailed at the meeting of the “Kurdish House,” particularly between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), regarding the presidency and the formation of the regional government. There are indications that a final agreement is imminent, although the consensus candidate has not yet been decided.
Political sources reported that a meeting between the two parties is expected in the coming days, which may witness the announcement of the final agreement, after resolving a significant portion of the disagreements that have persisted throughout the past period. These disagreements pertain to both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the presidency, which is closely linked to the prime ministership in Baghdad.
PUK member Burhan Sheikh Raouf told Al-Maalouma that “the recent meeting between the two leading figures in the parties resulted in good understandings and a convergence of viewpoints.” He added that “the coming days will witness a decisive meeting to agree on the Kurdish House’s candidate for the presidency, in addition to finalizing the formation of the regional government and reactivating the Kurdistan Parliament.”
For his part, Wafa Mohammed, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), confirmed to Al-Maalomah that “dialogue between the KDP and the PUK is ongoing to transform political understandings into final agreements that will lead to a decision on the presidential candidate.” He noted that “the name is almost finalized, but it has not been announced because it is linked to the understandings regarding the nomination of the prime minister.”
He added that “activating the Kurdistan Region Parliament is one of the most prominent points on the negotiating table, as it is an essential part of the political arrangements required before proceeding with resolving the presidential issue.”
In a related context, MP Diaa al-Zubaidi explained to Al-Maalomah that the coordination framework may resort to the “national space” option to resolve the presidential election issue if the Kurdish forces fail to reach an agreement. He pointed out that the framework has worked during the past period to bring the viewpoints of the Kurdish parties closer without siding with any party, hoping to avoid a repeat of the 2014 scenario and the political deadlock.
almaalomah.me
