Kurdistan Region’s Turkmen demand active role in new cabinet
“As Turkmen, we have demands, not conditions, for taking part in the new cabinet and political process. And our main demand is to be given the post of the second deputy prime minister or second deputy parliament speaker,” leader of the Turkmen Development Party Mohammed Saadadin told Rudaw.
Four Turkmen parties hold five parliamentary seats, allocated as part of the quota system for minority representation.
They are waiting for the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which won the most seats in the September election and is leading the talks, to visit them and discuss the Turkmen stance on the new government.
Discussions on how to form the next government have been ongoing for months, with parties vying for positions and wanting to ensure they help direct programs for the next four years.
Disputes between the KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) that extend to relations with Baghdad and a strategy for the disputed areas have been the main factor holding up talks.
The KDP is expected to take the top spots. It has nominated Security Council Chancellor Masrour Barzani as the next prime minister and current PM Nechirvan Barzani to move over to the presidency.
The parliament will sit on February 18 when it is expected to elect a speaker and deputy speaker in order for the cabinet formation to get off the ground.
