KRG President Nechirvan Barzani in Baghdad for Government Formation Talks with PM-Designate Zaidi

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani arrived in Baghdad on May 4, 2026 for two days of government formation talks with PM-designate Ali al-Zaidi and Coordination Framework leaders. Core Kurdish demands centered on: public-sector salary arrears owed by Baghdad to Kurdistan government employees (unpaid for months due to the oil revenue crisis), Peshmerga budget transfers under the 2005 constitutional framework, implementation of Article 140 (Kirkuk and disputed territories status), and equitable oil revenue sharing. Al-Zaidi pledged to address the salary issue as a priority in his first 100 days. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) sought guarantees before committing its parliamentary bloc to the confidence vote. The talks reflected the enduring challenge of Kurdish integration into Iraq's federal system.