On Wednesday, January 14, 2026, President Masoud Barzani received France’s Ambassador to Iraq Patrick Durel in Pirmam and discussed the efforts by political parties to form a new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet and Iraqi federal government.

During the meeting, which was also attended by Yann Braem, France’s Consul General in Erbil, Ambassador Durel presented an overview of Iraq’s political situation, regional developments, and the situation in Syria. He also praised President Barzani’s role in easing tensions and addressing the complexities in Syria.

Relations between the Kurdistan Region and France, and efforts to maintain and further strengthen these relations, were another focus of the meeting.

Additionally, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani also received Ambassador Durel.

During the meeting, which was also attended by Consul General Braem, they discussed the situation in Iraq and efforts and discussions among political parties to form the new cabinets of both the Iraqi federal government and the KRG.

They also exchanged views on regional developments and progress.

Read More: President Barzani Stresses Cooperation to Form Strong Federal Government

President Masoud Barzani received a delegation from the U.S. Embassy in Iraq on Tuesday and underlined his commitment to promoting coordination with other parties in order to form a strong federal government in Baghdad.

Iraq held parliamentary elections on November 11, 2025. However, a new government has not yet been formed, as parliament has not elected a president and no decision has been made on who will become the next Iraqi prime minister.

In late December, Haibat al-Halbousi from the Sunni Taqadum Party was elected Iraqi Parliament Speaker for the sixth legislative term.During the Iraqi parliamentary elections, the Kurdistan Democratic Party won 27 seats with more than 1.1 million votes, excluding quota seats, becoming the party with the most votes in both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

Ambassador Durel was also received by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani.Both officials expressed hope that the processes of electing the Iraqi President and appointing the Iraqi Prime Minister would proceed within their constitutional timelines, leading to the formation of a government capable of meeting citizens’ expectations and addressing challenges. 

They also stressed the importance of accelerating the formation of the new KRG cabinet.

Both sides expressed concern about the volatile regional situation and agreed on the importance of preserving security and stability, as well as resolving issues through dialogue and diplomatic means. In this regard, they reiterated that tensions and military confrontations only exacerbate regional instability.