ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has allegedly told the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) that it eyes the post of the Kurdistan Region president, with Qubad Talabani, the current deputy prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) being their lone candidate for the position, sources close to the parties, have told The New Region. 

The KDP and PUK, which administratively rule Erbil, Duhok, and Sulaimani provinces, respectively, emerged as the top two winners of the Kurdistan Region’s October 20 parliamentary elections. The KDP scored 39 seats and received over 400,000 votes more than the PUK, which gained 23 seats.

The two ruling parties have already held two rounds of government formation meetings, with their leaders describing them as being positive. Their next discussion is scheduled for January 7. 

The two parties could realistically form the next cabinet without the inclusion of any other parties as they make up more than half of the legislature. Combined with the five minority quota seats, the winners of which are already believed to be affiliated with either of the two parties, the KDP and the PUK would have 67 lawmakers on their side, allowing them to pass or deny any legislation in the parliament with a two-thirds majority.

“The PUK’s demands this time around are like no other before,” Arez Abdulla, a prominent PUK cadre, and former leadership member of the party, told The New Region, referring to his party’s demands to enter the government. “The PUK demands partnership, not participation."

The post of the president of the Kurdistan Region has traditionally been held by the KDP. 

In addition to the presidential position, the PUK has also demanded three sovereign ministries: interior, natural resources, and municipalities, the New Region has learned.