Zaidi meets Nechirvan Barzani as talks on government formation intensify

BAGHDAD — Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi met Monday with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani to discuss government formation and the broader political situation, with both sides stressing the importance of forming “a national government that represents the various components of Iraqi society.”

The meeting followed an earlier session between Barzani and a Kurdistan Democratic Party delegation with the Coordination Framework’s government formation committee, also held Monday in Baghdad, covering cabinet formation, political stability and the regional situation.

Key outstanding issues between Baghdad and Erbil, including the federal budget, oil exports and the region’s authorities, are typically revisited during government formation negotiations.

Zaidi was nominated last week by the Coordination Framework following the withdrawal of both Maliki and incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. He has 30 days to form a cabinet, draft a government program and secure approval from an absolute majority of parliament’s 329 members.