Saadi Ahmed Pira, PUK spokesperson, told Rudaw that the July 14 meeting between the leaders of his party and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) led to “closer positions on relations with Baghdad and cooperation with other Iraqi parties.”

“I believe this is a positive step that could help us reach a broader agreement on forming the new cabinet and starting parliament’s work,” he said.

“I am hopeful and there is also new breath from the KDP as well to form the new Kurdistan Regional Government and activate the parliament before the Iraqi election,” he added.

Although parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region were held on October 20, 2024, negotiations between the KDP and PUK on forming a power-sharing government have dragged on for nearly nine months. The parliament has convened only once in that time. Iraq’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 11.

Pira said the PUK wants meaningful participation in the new cabinet, even if power is not divided equally. “We believe we are partners. I don’t mean 50-50, but the Union should have a presence in power positions and feel that it participates in governance,” he said.

In the elections, no single party won a majority, meaning a governing coalition will have to be formed, as has historically been the case. The KDP won 39 spots in the 100-seat legislature, followed by the PUK with 23.

The PUK is seeking roles in the Kurdistan Region Security Council and Ministry of Interior, but remains open to alternative proposals from the KDP. Pira warned that the KDP “should not monopolize power.”

The rival parties did cooperate in order to secure a deal between Erbil and Baghdad on the Kurdistan Region’s share of the federal budget and payment of public sector salaries, according to Pira.

The KRG announced on Wednesday it had reached an understanding with Baghdad over delayed salary payments affecting more than 1.2 million public employees. The agreement followed meetings in Baghdad this week between Kurdish and Iraqi officials.

Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad escalated in late May when Iraq’s Finance Ministry suspended budget transfers, saying the KRG had received more than its 12.67 percent share and accused it of failing to deliver the agreed volume of oil to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO). The suspension halted salary payments across the Region.

Pira said the KDP and PUK need to work better together in light of recent developments in the Middle East. Kurds in northeast Syria (Rojava) are negotiating about their future with Damascus and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) is in peace talks with the Turkish government.

“The situation is changing,” Pira said. “The Kurdistan Region can play a key role in helping other parts of Kurdistan and resolving their issues through peaceful means. If we cannot resolve our own problems, how can other parts of Kurdistan trust us?”

The KDP and PUK, while rivals, have shared power in government since the establishment of the Kurdistan Region in the nineties. For the past several governments, the KDP has held the posts of prime minister and president.