KDP ends boycott, will participate in Iraqi Kurdistan elections: KDP

ERBIL, Iraqi Kurdistan region,— The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by the Barzani clan, has announced its intention to participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, provided recent adjustments to the voting process are put into effect.

Ari Harsin, head of the KDP’s Sulaimani branch, emphasized the party’s readiness to engage in the elections but had reservations regarding certain aspects of the electoral mechanisms. However, with the recent modifications, the KDP is now committed to taking part in the electoral process.

Earlier, in March 2024, the KDP had declared its decision not to participate in the elections following a ruling by the Federal Supreme Court in February, which amended the electoral law.

One significant change introduced by the court was the allocation of five seats for minority groups across the three provinces of the Kurdistan Region. This decision came after the court had earlier revoked the minority quota seats in the legislature.

Initially, the removal of the minority quota seats prompted the KDP to boycott the forthcoming parliamentary elections, originally scheduled for June 10. They expressed concerns about various issues, primarily the loss of minority representation mandated by Baghdad.

However, with the recent adjustments, the KDP, along with other Christian and Turkmen parties, decided to participate, albeit demanding the restoration of the quota seats.

The electoral commission overseeing the process had initially set June 10 as the election date after multiple postponements spanning two years.

Iraqi Kurdistan president Nechirvan Barzani’s visit to Iran in May 2024 and met with top Iranian officials, reportedly aimed to negotiate a delay in the Kuurdistan elections, according to a source affiliated with the pro-Iran Coordination Framework.

At the same time, in Baghdad, Nechirvan’s cousin, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani filed a lawsuit challenging the removal of the minority quota, citing its unconstitutionality and violation of fair representation principles outlined in Iraq’s constitution.

Recently, the electoral commission proposed September 5 as the new election date, citing logistical challenges, but Kurdish authorities are yet to confirm the final date.