ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Masoud Barzani met with the newly formed Sunni Arab ‘National Axis Alliance’ on Sunday to discuss the formation of Iraq’s next government. Both sides are seeking assurances from any new administration that the constitution will be upheld.


Barzani welcomed the National Axis Alliance delegation at his headquarters in Pirmam. It was composed of the new alliance chief Khamis al-Khanjar, speaker the Iraqi parliament Salim al-Jabouri, and vice president Osama al-Nujaifi.

They were met by top KDP officials, including Hemin Hawrami, Fuad Hussein, Hoshyar Zebari, and Rozh Nuri Shaways.

“In the meeting, ideas concerning the Iraqi political process, forming the new government of Iraq, and making use of past lessons and errors were exchanged,” according to a readout from Barzani’s office.

“In the meeting, both sides agreed that there needed to be clear mechanisms and guarantees for commitment to the constitution and implementing the agreements in a way that can prevent dictatorship and marginalizing the components,” it added.

Both sides agreed to continued collaboration and relations “for active participation in the political process for implementing and taking into consideration the principles that can serve partnership of all the components in the next Iraqi government.”

Barzani has only recently re-entered the political fray after he was sidelined by regional and global powers over the Kurdistan Region independence referendum and the resulting crisis.

Now that his party has secured most seats of any party in Iraq (others ran as joint lists in the May 12 election), delegations from Iraq and the US have resumed regular meetings with him, acknowledging he still has significant influence.

The Sunni parties have renewed their efforts to present a united front after years of division, hoping to secure a stronger position in Baghdad.

The newly formed National Axis Alliance contains most of the powerful Sunni politicians. It is expected to pick the next speaker of the Iraqi parliament, which has traditionally been held by a Sunni since 2005.

Like the Kurds, Sunnis are a minority group in Shiite-majority Iraq. The country’s constitution is designed to protect the political and cultural rights of minorities. However, minorities have long complained of being sidelined in Baghdad.

Months after Iraq’s May 12 parliamentary election, Iraq is still without a new government. Divisions between the big Shiite parties and allegations of election fraud have blunted attempts to form a ruling coalition.

Kurdish and Sunni parties may capitalize on this political environment to pursue their constitutional rights and win further concessions.

Rudaw