Peregraf- Farman Sadiq
As rival parties launch energetic campaigns for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, voter expectations remain subdued. The demands of the electorate are simple, and many hope the new term will differ from the last.
Kurdistan's streets and public spaces are filled with slogans and election campaigns for the sixth parliamentary term, scheduled for October 20, 2024. Yet, voters like Alan Ali from Sulaymaniyah are not overly optimistic. "I will participate in the election, but I have no expectation that parliament will make a difference. If it’s not worse than the fifth term, it certainly won’t be better," he remarked.
According to the Pay Institute, a civil society organization monitoring parliamentary activities, the fifth term of the Kurdistan Parliament, which ran from 2018 to May 2023, passed only 46 laws, seven of which were during an extension period. Alan told Peregraf that "the Kurdistan parliament cannot create real change unless the changes align with the interests of the two dominant political forces, namely, PUK and PDK".
"Parliament cannot change anything in people's lives," Alan stated. "If there is a change, it happens outside of parliament, not because of the parliament itself."
For over 30 years, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have dominated the political landscape, consistently securing the most parliamentary seats. "Not only are the Kurdistan Parliament, but also parliaments across the Middle East unable to bring about change," Alan said.
This year, the Iraqi Federal Court reduced the number of parliamentary seats from 111 to 100, with various parties and coalitions—including new movements—competing alongside established political forces.
Mevan Amedi, another voter, believes that a strong opposition is the only way to create change in the Kurdistan Parliament. He referenced the Gorran Movement’s impact as a powerful opposition force in 2009. "If the People's Front, the Stance Movement, or New Generation cannot win enough votes to form a strong opposition, no change will occur. The PUK and KDP will continue to believe they are on the right path, as the people will have given them their confidence once again."
The Iraqi High Election Commission has listed 1,191 candidates, including representatives from the Christian and Turkmen communities, who are allocated five quota seats in the 100-seat parliament.
Mevan, a resident of Amedi who intends to vote, voiced concerns about the lack of services in his area, which has driven thousands of young people to emigrate. "Authorities should ask themselves why young people are not getting married—it’s because of unemployment and lack of financial stability," he said.
He noted that "many candidates in this election are young, and if they are allowed to act independently of their parties, they may be able to address the needs of the youth in parliament".
Since the first Kurdistan parliamentary elections in 1992, no election has been held on schedule. The sixth parliamentary term was supposed to take place in 2022 but was delayed.
Azhin Balbas, an Information Technology graduate from Erbil, expressed frustration over his four-year unemployment despite having completed his education. "I sold my earrings and sleeping bag to graduate, and now I’ve been sitting at home for four years without a job," he lamented.
Azhin, who has not voted in the last two parliamentary elections, is still undecided about participating this year. "Voting or not voting won’t change anything," he said. "If a candidate can hire me on a contract, I’m ready to give them my vote—and my family’s too."
Out of approximately 3.79 million eligible voters, nearly 2.9 million have biometric voting cards, which are now required to cast a ballot, according to the High Election Commission. This represents 76.56% of the electorate. However, more than 700,000 voters remain without biometric cards, barring them from participating in the election.
Despite these challenges, the population of the Kurdistan Region, which totals around six million across the provinces of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Halabja, remains entitled to vote every four years under the law.
Many voters, like Azhin, remain skeptical about whether the new parliament will bring meaningful change. "I don’t expect parliament to change anything in my life," he said.