The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) do not agree over who should become deputy Prime Misnter al-Maliki's, after PUK Barham Salih left the post a month to become the Kurdistan region's Prime Minister, according to Kurdish independent newspaper Hawlati.

Until now it has not publicly become clear who is going to be appointed to replace the position, said Arif Taifur, a KDP member and Iraq's deputy speaker of the Parliament.

"The post originally was to be for the PUK, this has not been violated yet, and there is a possibility for the KDP to be given the post and there is no problem here, though the position is PUK's in reality," said Mr. Taifur.

Either Dr. Fuad Massoum, a PUK, or Fazil Mirani, a KDP, is said to occupy Iraq's deputy premier's position. However, according to a strategic agreement between the KDP and PUK, the latter has the right to occupy the position.

Hawlati says that the KDP may not agree to leave the post for the PUK as it has already been granted the KRG's premiership.

  Former KRG's Prime Minster was Nechirvan Barzani, Kurdish president Barzani's nephew. Salih will take the post in the coming weeks.

The Iraqi Kurdistan Region held elections on July 25th in which the KDP and PUK lost 25 seats in favor of a newly emerged opposition in Sulaymaniyah.