In second place, with approximately half of the votes, is the Patriotic Union (PUK) followed by the New Generation Movement (NGM). Steady increase in voters to 72%, up from 51.4% in 2018. In Ankawa, the head of the Christian district beat the representative of the (pro-Iranian) Babylon Movement for the minority seat.
Erbil () – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (PDK) has emerged as the party with the most votes in the recent parliamentary elections in Iraqi Kurdistan that were held on October 20 – four years after the last elections and after repeated postponements -, reported the Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission (IHEC), which assigned the first party 809,197 votes, almost double that of its main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with 408,141 votes. In third place, although the figures are not yet final and the distribution of seats is delayed due to the appeals that have been presented in the last few hours, is the main opposition faction, the New Generation Movement (NGM), with 290,991 votes . Ali Hama Salih, leader of the National Stance Party, did not accept the result of the elections, denounced (alleged) electoral fraud and at the same time announced legal actions against the IHEC.
The complaints and accusations of vote manipulation actually come from multiple fronts and could delay the official announcement of the results, with the corresponding allocation of seats, which can only be carried out after the pending appeals have been resolved. Munira Ali Abdul Aziz, a member of the politburo of the Islamic Movement of Iraq (IMK), rejected the result of the vote and in a message on his social page called the process “predetermined and fraudulent.” According to partial results, his IMK party would not have won any seats in the elections.
In this round there was also expectation among Christians, after the reduction of seats reserved for minorities and the attempt to appropriate and conquer the leadership of the Babylon Movement of the self-proclaimed leader Rayan the Chaldean, supported by Iran. The Assyrian, Chaldean, Syriac and Turkmen Christian groups won one seat each in the provinces of Erbil and Sulaimani, and also won a seat in Duhok. Ramy Noori Syawish, current mayor of Ankawa, Erbil’s majority Christian district, won the Christian quota seat in the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, beating the pro-Tehran candidate.
The 2024 parliamentary elections were held on October 20 two years late and after repeated postponements and cancellations due to internal crises and clashes over voting rules, as well as local and regional issues that posed an additional obstacle. In February, the Supreme Court of Iraq issued a ruling revoking or modifying several articles of the Kurdistan Region’s electoral law, number 1 of 1992. Specifically, the judges established the elimination of the 11 seats reserved for minorities – an issue that It sparked strong controversy and political debate – reducing the total number of seats from 111 to the current 100. The verdict also charged the Iraqi Independent Electoral Commission (IHEC) with the task of supervising electoral operations, replacing the Kurdistan Region Electoral Commission, as well as redefining the electoral system itself.
Subsequently, the electoral body of the Iraqi Supreme Council of Justice ordered the IHEC to reserve at least five of the total 100 seats for minorities, of which three for Christians (two Chaldeans and one Armenian) and two for Turkmens. Finally, women must make up at least 30% of the elected members. There are 2,899,578 eligible voters who can choose between a total of two alliances, 13 parties and 124 independent candidates running for election. On October 18, a “special vote” took place for members of the Peshmerga and Internal Security ministries, with 215,560 eligible voters and 208,521 votes cast (97%). In terms of participation, there was a significant increase compared to the last round in 2018, when the figure stood at around 51.4%, while it has now reached the significant figure of 72%, with the highest value in Dohuk, which reached 78%. In Erbil 74%, Sulaimani 65% and Halabja 69%, an IHEC spokesperson explained at a press conference in Baghdad, adding that more than two million people went to the polls.
One of the first comments was from the United States embassy in Baghdad, an interested spectator due to the military bases that are in the national territory and that the Iraqi government wants to dismantle, leaving only Kurdistan with the presence of American soldiers, in an alternative but acceptable solution for the parties. The diplomatic representation congratulated the region on the “normal” development of the elections, pointing out the importance of forming a new government called to strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights and boost economic growth. Words echoed by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, who praised the peaceful and competitive nature of the elections and urged parties to “quickly form” a new government that prioritizes stability, resilience economic and the protection of citizens’ rights.
The elections have been held in a context of growing economic crisis, aggravated by the suspension of oil exports, a fundamental source of income for the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) that was blocked by Turkey in March 2023. This decision was the result of a ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce that forces Ankara to pay Baghdad $1.5 billion for unauthorized oil exports. The deputy spokesperson for the United States Department of State, Vedant Patel, highlighted the importance of high participation and the absence of significant incidents, and that attention is now focused on the actions of the different political forces to ensure stability.
Add Comment