Peregraf
Bafel Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), delivered a vigorous critique of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) during a recent event in Sulaymaniyah aimed at introducing his party's candidates. He declared, "With the support of God and the people, we will dismantle this corrupt and filthy regime."
Talabani urged the Kurdish populace to cast their votes for the PUK to facilitate change, asserting, "Only we possess the capability to effect this change; other parties are incapable of making a difference. We can unequivocally label the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) as traitors; they must be removed from power."
Additionally, the PUK leader addressed the necessity of reforming the electoral law, which he deemed crucial for the upcoming elections, stating, "The previous electoral law was tailored for a ruling family, but we have dismantled it.”
Talabani emphasized the unity and resolve of his party, remarking, "The KDP has been afflicted by our influence. “There exists a civil war among their own cousins, and they are at a loss regarding how to resolve it.”
Kurdistan parliamentary elections scheduled for October 20, 2024.
The sixth round of Iraqi Kurdistan parliamentary elections should have been held in October 2022, despite internal and external pressure, but due to disagreements between the parties on the electoral law, especially the PUK and PDK on the seats of communities, the process was not held The Iraqi Federal Court ruled the extension "unconstitutional" and dissolved the Kurdistan parliament, leaving the region with a vacuum of legislative power and the government becoming the caretaker.
The Kurdistan Parliament consists of 100 seats and five seats are reserved for the communities. The election will be held in a four constituencies system.
The five seats are divided into three provinces, three seats in Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Duhok for the Christian community, and two seats in Erbil and Sulaimaniyah for the Turkmen community.
The seats in parliament are divided among the provinces as follows; Erbil province has 34 seats, two of which are for communities, Sulaimaniyah province has 38 seats, two of which are for communities, Duhok province has 25 seats, including one seat for communities, and Halabja province has three seats.
The election has been postponed four times so far. Initially, Nechirvan Barzani, the President of Kurdistan Region of Iraq set October 1, 2022 for the elections, but they were not held on that date. Despite three other times that the KRI President announced for the elections (18 November 2023, 25 February 2024 and 10 June 2024), the elections were not held on those three dates.
Following the first elections on 19 May 1992, no elections for the Kurdistan Parliament have been held within the legal deadline during the three decades of the Kurdistan rule by PUK and PDK.