KDP, PUK, and NGM to back Zaidi's cabinet as Kurdish opposition blocs remain hesitant

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Lawmakers from the Kurdistan Region’s ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), along with the Region’s main opposition party, the New Generation Movement (NGM), confirmed to Rudaw their participation in Thursday’s federal parliament session to vote on confidence for the country’s incoming cabinet.

Meanwhile, three other opposition parties said their attendance remains pending approval of a request for a ministerial post and a “memorandum” submitted to Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi.

“We have decided to attend tomorrow’s session and will vote confidence in Ali al-Zaidi’s cabinet,” said Danar Abdulghafar, a prominent KDP lawmaker and spokesperson for the bloc in the federal legislature.

Recent consultations with the prime minister-designate had resulted in an agreement granting the KDP the “foreign affairs ministerial portfolio and the reconstruction ministry as well,” Abdulghafar added, noting, however, that “our candidates for these two positions have not yet been finalized.”

Similarly, Harem Kamal Agha, head of the PUK bloc in the Iraqi parliament, also stated, “We will participate in tomorrow’s session and vote for the cabinet,” adding that an agreement had been reached for the PUK to be allocated the justice ministerial portfolio, with incumbent minister Khaled Shwani being discussed as the party’s candidate for another term.

Meanwhile, Kurdawan Jama, who heads the NGM bloc in the federal parliament, also told Rudaw that the party - considered the largest opposition group in the Kurdistan Region - would be allocated the environment ministry.

“We will participate in the session and vote for the cabinet, as we have an agreement with the PUK to receive the environment ministry, and our candidate for that position is Srwa Abdulwahid,” said a prominent NGM politician and sister of party leader Shaswar Abdulwahid.

Of note, the PUK and NGM cemented a “comprehensive” alliance in February to divide political shares in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, to balance the KDP’s influence, particularly after the latter secured 26 seats in the 329-member Iraqi parliament after emerging as the top single party and surpassing 1.1 million votes nationwide in the November legislative ballot. The PUK secured 15 seats, while the NGM holds three seats in the parliament.

Iraqi ruling Shiite Coordination Framework - the largest bloc in parliament, holding 174 seats in the 329-member legislature - in late April named Zaidi as its candidate for prime minister, a post traditionally held by a Shiite.

President Nizar Amedi on the same day tasked Zaidi with forming a new government and presenting his ministerial program to parliament within 30 days of his designation, as stipulated in the Iraqi constitution.

In the following days, the prime minister-designate held consultations with different political forces to discuss the distribution of ministerial portfolios.

Ali al-Daffayi, spokesperson for the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), led by senior Coordination Framework figure Humam Hamoudi, told Rudaw on Wednesday that agreements had been reached to allocate the ministries of foreign affairs, justice, construction and housing, and environment to Kurdish factions.

Zaidi on Thursday he submitted the government program to Parliament Speaker Haibat al-Halbousi, the state-run Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

“The program will be circulated among members of parliament for review and examination of its details, while the names of the cabinet lineup will be submitted at a later date,” INA then relayed.

Meanwhile, three other Kurdish opposition parties - the National Stance Movement (Halwest), the Islamic Union of Kurdistan (IUK), and the Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG) - have yet to confirm their participation in the key session on Thursday.

Rebwar Karim, head of Halwest’s bloc in the Iraqi parliament, told Rudaw that “we have two topics under negotiation,” explaining that one concerns a “memorandum” submitted to Zaidi containing “several points in the interest of the people of the Kurdistan Region,” while the other involves securing a ministerial portfolio, as the three parties collectively hold ten seats in the 329-member parliament.

The latter three parties are set to “continue our meetings until a decision is made [on whether to participate or not] is made,” Karim concluded.