A new Iraqi Kurdish cabinet will take time to emerge

Significance Elections took place in the region on October 20. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 39 seats and the PUK 23 in the 100-seat parliament. The outcome signals the KDP’s continued strength within regional politics, but since the party did not secure an outright majority, it cannot form a government independently. Impacts PUK-Turkey ties could worsen because of the PUK’s criticism of Turkish military activity in the KRI. Washington will press the KDP and PUK to agree swiftly on a new government. Baghdad will continue exploiting KDP-PUK divisions to dilute the region’s autonomy.