ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani received Falih al-Fayyadh, chairman of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF, or Hashd al-Shaabi) in Erbil on Wednesday, discussing the formation of a new government in Baghdad, according to Barzani’s office. “Discussions focused on the political process in Iraq and the latest developments in the country including the ongoing talks among political factions and their efforts to hold the first session of the newly elected parliament,” read a statement from Barzani’s office. “The President and the PMF Chairman also discussed the formation of the new federal government in Iraq.” Fayyadh also met with Masoud Barzani, leader of Kurdistan Region’s ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). They discussed similar topics, according KDP leader's office. Iraq held parliamentary elections on October 10. The vote’s controversial results were ratified by the Federal Supreme Court late December, ending months of disputes over the final results and paved the way for the political parties to hold further meetings to negotiate the formation of a new cabinet. The KDP has gained 31 seats, becoming the largest Kurdish bloc. Hashd al-Shaabi, which is among the losers of the elections, has claimed that the elections were rigged. Their supporters held weekly protests in the capital city of Baghdad for months. Several Iraqi political parties, including the main winner Sadrist bloc, have visited the Kurdistan Region to negotiate the formation of a new cabinet in Baghdad. Kurds have been kingmakers regarding the formation of a number of Iraqi cabinets in the past.
