Iraqi Kurdistan Elections Could Be Turning Point

Despite the fact that KDP and PUK leaders have shown their willingness to form a new cabinet together — as became clear when the KDP and PUK political bureaus met on July 4, 2013 — there are a few other political scenarios for forming a new cabinet that may force either the KDP or PUK to be excluded from the government.

In the Mosul provincial election —where Kurds took part in a united list — KDP’s candidates won the majority of the votes, while the PUK only won a few. However, in forming the Mosul province government, the KDP excluded the PUK from all the positions that the united Kurdish list attained. The PUK is now an opposition party in the Mosul local government.

It is not clear whether the KDP and PUK will be able to form a new cabinet together, because the election results may not be in their favor.

A continuation of their agreement is expected, but both parties’ leadership wants a review of the strategic agreement.

The opposition (Gorran, Islamic Union and Islamic Group) and the PUK coalition

As it has become clear that none of the political parties can win a majority in the legislative elections, coalitions are expected between different political party winners.

In September 2012, after a long period of cold relations between the two leaders of the PUK and the Gorran movement, Talabani met Nawsherwan Mustafa in Dabashan, Talabani’s residence in Sulaimaniyah. The meeting resulted in a 180-degree change in PUK and Gorran relations, which many thought could bring PUK and Gorran together in forming a new government. But after Talabani was hospitalized in Germany, the PUK was accused of not committing to its part of the agreement.

Bahroz Galali, PUK’s leadership member and its representative in Ankara, said that Talabani did his best to "bring the PUK and Gorran closer," and that their strained relations will hurt them and they should work together, especially to prevent electoral fraud from happening.