Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani met today in Dukan in a high-stakes effort to finalize the formation of the Kurdistan Region’s new cabinet. The discussions mark a critical phase in weeks of intensive negotiations between the two main Kurdish parties.

Senior delegations from Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Talabani’s PUK have held multiple rounds of talks at both leadership and committee levels to shape the next government. With negotiations now focused on the allocation of ministerial and key governmental posts, both sides have expressed a commitment to swiftly concluding the process and forming a new cabinet in the coming weeks.

Today’s meeting follows a major round of discussions on April 17 at the PUK’s Political Bureau in Sulaimani, where party committees and senior officials worked to resolve outstanding disputes. The KDP and PUK, as the dominant forces in Kurdish politics, traditionally share power in the KRG, but cabinet formations have often been delayed due to disagreements over portfolio distributions, security arrangements, and regional administration.

If successful, the Dukan talks could pave the way for a political breakthrough, strengthening unity within the Kurdistan Region, enhancing internal stability, and improving the KRG’s ability to navigate complex relations with the Iraqi federal government and neighboring countries.

Observers are closely watching for announcements on key appointments, including the deputy prime minister position—a post historically held by the PUK—as well as critical ministries such as finance, interior, and peshmerga affairs.