ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Tuesday stressed that “only public pressure” from the Kurdistan Region’s citizens is enough to force the political parties to negotiate and form the next regional government, amid a crippling political deadlock over 18 months since elections were held. 

"The KDP believes that only the pressure of the people of Kurdistan is enough to force the parties to find a solution to the current problems and to place the public interest above party interests," KDP spokesperson Mahmoud Mohammed told The New Region.

"We are in agreement that a deal must be reached that is in the interest of the people of Kurdistan," Mohammed added, noting that KDP is planning to hold meetings with several political parties.

On Sunday, KDP stressed the importance of unity and coordination among Kurdish political forces in a message to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), while underscoring the need to resolve outstanding disputes and defend the Kurdistan Region’s “constitutional and political status.” 

The PUK is the Kurdistan Region’s second most popular party behind the KDP, maintaining a strong supporter base across the provinces of Sulaimani and Halabja, as well as the disputed territories between the Kurdistan Region and federal Iraq, most notably Kirkuk.

The KDP and PUK scored the highest number of seats in the Kurdistan Region’s October 2024 parliamentary elections, recording 39 and 23 seats respectively.

A crippling political impasse between the two parties after the October 2024 elections has prevented the formation of a Kurdish government, with both sides trading blame for the dysfunction. 

Demands for the swift formation of the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet have further intensified since the formation of the new Iraqi cabinet.

"I am ready to meet right now," Qubad Talabani, the Kurdistan Region’s deputy prime minister and a senior PUK member, told The New Region on Tuesday, regarding the meeting with KDP for forming the next government.

“I am also concerned about this stalled situation in the Kurdistan Region,” Talabani said, adding, “I am ready to meet tomorrow; I am even ready to meet in another half hour.”

A key sticking point between the KDP and PUK has been top positions and sovereign ministries in the Kurdistan Region, particularly the interior ministry - a post the PUK is vying for.

The developments came as PUK on Monday asserted it would negotiate as “one package” with the New Generation Movement (NGM) in talks with the KDP regarding the Kurdistan Region’s government formation. 

In January, the leadership of the PUK and NGM announced that they had reached preliminary agreements to form a united front to challenge the ruling KDP, aiming to form the Region’s next government.