Bafal Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), visited Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) Secretary-General Salahuddin Bahauddin in Sulaymaniyah on Tuesday, commending his role in political rapprochement and pledging to deepen bilateral ties.

During Monday’s meeting—attended by Shalaw Kosrat Rasul and PUK Kurdistan Relations Board Head Salar Lala Sarhad—the two sides discussed the latest political developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Talabani extended his formal condolences on the recent passing of Bahauddin’s brother.

PUK’s Praise of KIU stance and Bilateral Ties 

The PUK president expressed his appreciation for Bahauddin's influential role in reconciling divergent views.

Both leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the PUK and the KIU.

KRG Deadlock Persists as KIU Mediation Deadline Expires 

The meeting takes place amidst a severe political impasse regarding the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government's tenth cabinet, with no governing agreement reached since the October 2024 legislative elections.

This prolonged deadlock has effectively paralyzed the Kurdistan Parliament, leaving legislative operations entirely frozen.

The KIU Secretary-General presented his political initiative to Talabani on May 17, during a high-profile meeting at Dabashan in Sulaymaniyah.

The initiative is a structured, diplomatic roadmap with a strict one-month deadline aimed at ending the political stalemate, reactivating the paralyzed Kurdistan Parliament, and accelerating the formation of the KRG's tenth cabinet.

Despite the initiative's expiration and subsequent positive receptions from both the PUK and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), high-level negotiations between the region's two primary political factions remain stalled. 

PUK Demands 'Genuine Partnership' while KDP Insists on Electoral Weight 

Karwan Gaznay, the spokesperson for the PUK, told a press conference on Sunday that the party insists on forming a government based on "genuine partnership," dismissing claims that all disputes are narrowed down to governmental posts.

Meanwhile, the KDP states that government formation must reflect the electoral weight and popular mandate won at the ballot box.