At a Glance

• The Caretaker Deputy PM met the Italian Ambassador to urge the swift formation of a service-oriented KRG government.
• The meeting focused on enhancing coordination between the KRG and federal governments to resolve disputes.

Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the caretaker Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and Italian Ambassador Niccolo Fontana emphasized accelerating the formation of a partnership-based, service-oriented government and strengthening Erbil-Baghdad cooperation.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• The Deputy PM’s Media Office said that Qubad Talabani and the Italian Ambassador “emphasized the necessity of forming a service-oriented government.”
• The two sides discussed enhancing KRG and federal government coordination to maintain security and resolve outstanding issues.

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Deputy Prime Minister Talabani met with Italian Ambassador Fontana on Wednesday in Erbil, with Tommaso Sansone, the Consul General of Italy, in attendance.

Both parties highlighted that the new government should be “based on genuine partnership that is capable of managing the requirements of the current stage.”

Talabani and Fontana also discussed “the need for joint cooperation and coordination between the regional and federal governments.”

“This collaboration aims to maintain Iraq's security and stability, resolve outstanding issues, foster economic development, and deliver better services to citizens,” the statement noted.

FYI

Today’s meeting comes amid a flurry of official statements and widespread rumors regarding the formation of the tenth cabinet in recent days.

The government has been delayed for nearly two years since the Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections were held on October 20, 2024, due to ongoing disputes between major parties.

While the KDP aims to lead the government based on its electoral majority, the PUK seeks a “balanced” power-sharing arrangement with a proportional distribution of top leadership positions and senior ministries.

Qubad Talabani said on Tuesday that efforts have intensified, expressing hope that parties will soon reach an agreement to form a “service-oriented government based on genuine partnership.”

The National Stance Movement leader said yesterday that the KDP will retain the presidency and premiership, while the New Generation Movement announced it will under no circumstances participate in the government and will instead remain in the opposition.

Speaking to reporters today, Mahmoud Mohammed, spokesman for the Kurdistan Democratic Party, said that negotiations have accelerated to form the new cabinet as quickly as possible, adding that, “We envision that the existing obstacles will be cleared in the coming days.”

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