Today, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) president Masoud Barzani met with former Iraqi President Barham Salih, an encounter that highlights the intricate political relationships in the Kurdistan Region.

The meeting is noteworthy as Barzani has repeatedly declined to receive Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) president Bafel Talabani. Recently, Talabani himself admitted having no relationship with either Barzani or Salih.

Barham was initially the PUK’s nominee for a second term as Iraqi president, reportedly with Bafel Talabani’s backing. However, during the parliamentary vote to elect the president, Barham was eliminated and replaced by Latif Rashid—who is married to Bafel’s aunt, Shanaz. There is a strong chance that Barham feels he was misled, particularly since Bafel had projected unwavering support for his candidacy until the very last moment. But when it came to the actual vote in parliament, things shifted—especially as the KDP also opposed Barham’s reelection, believing he had acted against their interests during his first term.

Bafel Talabani had previously said that Masoud Barzani was like an uncle to him, and that they had enjoyed good relations—particularly when Bafel’s cousin, Lahur Talabany, was still co-leader of the PUK. However, after Bafel seized control of the party in what many described as a bloodless coup that forced Lahur out, his tone toward the KDP became increasingly antagonistic. Barzani, who has since distanced himself from day-to-day politics and does not view Bafel as his peer—largely due to the generational and experiential gap—had previously welcomed him. But Barzani reportedly came to feel that Bafel had used the KDP’s support to remove Lahur, only to later pivot politically in a way Barzani saw as both ungrateful and indicative of an unstable character.

In a recent interview, Bafel openly admitted that he has no relationship with either Barzani or Barham. Regarding Barham, Bafel said he doesn’t understand why the relationship broke down, but recalled that after Jalal Talabani’s death, a proposal was made for the PUK to adopt a three-man co-leadership model—with Barham as one of the leaders. Barham rejected that offer, insisting on becoming the sole president. Although his proposal was not accepted at the time, he was later nominated—and ultimately elected—as President of Iraq.

Barham had previously served as deputy PUK president and was well-regarded by Jalal Talabani. But after Talabani’s death, Barham broke away from the party, formed his own political group, and ran in the Kurdistan Region elections—where he performed poorly. He was later brought back into the PUK with the promise of being nominated for the Iraqi presidency, a position he had long sought.