Kurdistan Region to hold parliamentary elections October 20

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday set October 20 as the new date for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections, with obstacles for the vote seemingly cleared after multiple delays and prolonged political wrangling. 

“We have decided to set the date of October 20, 2024 for the general elections of the sixth term of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq parliament,” Kurdistan Region Presidency spokesperson Dilshad Shahab said in a press conference, quoting an official decree by President Nechirvan Barzani. 

The decision paves the way for the vote to be held after political wrangling between the Kurdistan Region’s political forces on numerous issues led to the delay of the vote on several occasions. 

“This date is not the date that everyone agreed on, but it is the date that we ultimately chose. There is no other solution other than holding the Kurdistan parliament elections,” Shahab said, adding that authorities will comply with the schedule and cooperate with Iraq’s electoral body to facilitate the process. 

The election process has been marred in difficulties, with interference from Baghdad fueling tensions between the Kurdistan Region’s parties - particularly differences between the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).

A major ruling by Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court in February labeled the 11 quota seats in the Kurdistan Region’s parliament reserved for ethnic and religious minorities as “unconstitutional”, striking down their legitimacy and rendering chances of minorities to obtain representation almost impossible. The lawsuit that led to the ruling was filed by the PUK and a Sulaimani-based Christian party.

But the KDP lashed out in response and announced that they would boycott the vote, scheduled for June 10 at the time, expressing concern about multiple factors - foremost of which was the minority quota being taken by Baghdad. Several Christian and Turkmen parties joined the boycott.

However, another Baghdad decision last month allocated five seats for minorities across the Kurdistan Region’s provinces - a crucial KDP demand - leading to the end of their boycott and clearing a major obstacle for the vote.

“We are convinced that there is no excuse and we are hopeful along with the [political] parties that the elections will be held,” Shahab said. “The difference on minority seats, which was the biggest issue,” has been resolved. 

He expressed regret that the lack of a legislature has undermined the Kurdistan Region’s legitimacy and autonomy, stressing that the situation will take a turn for the worse if the vote is once again delayed. 

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) had previously suggested September 5 as the date for the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections, but on Monday admitted it would be “difficult” to hold the vote on the suggested date as the Kurdistan Region Presidency had yet to issue a decree formalizing a date.

Imad Jamil, head of IHEC's media team, welcomed the new date and said that the commission will begin preparations to hold the vote on schedule.

"The election date is very appropriate and we welcome it," he told Rudaw's Sangar Abdulrahman.

The Kurdistan Region elections were initially scheduled for two years ago, but the process has been delayed several times since. The vote was unable to materialize on a previously suggested date of June 10 after IHEC announced that it would not be able to supervise the polls on that date.