Kurdish leaders in the KRG have prioritized internal cabinet formation and closer coordination with Baghdad following the October 2024 parliamentary elections and the recent US-led coalition withdrawal. PUK and KDP figures, including Bafel Talabani, have described Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government as a “golden opportunity” for strengthened federal ties, while urging resolution of disputes over budgets, oil revenues, and constitutional provisions through dialogue rather than unilateral steps. Recent Peshmerga unification efforts and parliament reactivation talks further signal a focus on institutional stability amid Iranian drone strikes on opposition camps and broader regional security pressures. No official statements or actions indicate preparations for an independence declaration by year-end, aligning with trader consensus that such a move remains improbable in the current environment.