Iraq’s Kurdistan Democratic Party wins Kurdish region parliamentary elections

Turnout for long-delayed vote at 72 per cent, election commission says

Supporters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party celebrate after polls close in the Kurdish region. Reuters

The Kurdistan Democratic Party, one of the two major parties in the Iraq Kurdish region, has won the parliamentary elections, the Independent High Electoral Commission announced on Monday.

The preliminary results from Sunday’s polls indicate KDP’s main rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), came second, followed by opposition group the New Generation Movement, while smaller parties and independent candidates took the rest of the votes.

Election commission officials said final results would be announced after complaints are reviewed but gave no further details.

The results are based on ballot boxes counted from 99.63 per cent of the polling stations, said judge Omar Ahmed, chief of the commission. The results from the remaining 26 voting stations have been taken for auditing, he added.

Out of the 2,087,972 voters, 809,197 opted for the KDP, 408,141 for PUK and 290,991 for the New Generation Movement. The commission did not announce the seats for each party.

KDP’s victory strengthens its dominant position in politically divided Kurdish region. However, the number of seats is expected to fall short from the majority required to form the new government.

The results have set the stage for potentially contentious negotiations, particularly between the KDP and PUK, whose long-standing rivalry could complicate efforts to form a stable government.

Across the region, supporters of both the KDP and PUK have been celebrating in the streets since late Sunday. Fireworks were set off as crowds waved the two parties' flags, blared car horns and chanted in celebration.

On Sunday, voters across the Kurdish region cast their ballots for the first time since 2018. They displayed the blue ink stains on their fingers that indicated they participated in the elections.

Voters expressed a mix of hope and scepticism after casting their ballots, weary of the weakening economy, corruption and political divisions. Some said the elections offered one last opportunity for the main political parties, including the KDP and PUK, to improve the situation in the region.

“God willing, these elections will bring the goodness to Kurdistan and the best people to serve its people properly, particularly the Christians,” teacher Saman Yousif told The National, after voting in the Christian-majority Ankawa neighbourhood of Erbil.

Mr Yousif, 46, who went to the polling station with his wife and son, said the elections “could be the last chance for real change” in the region. He expressed frustration about efforts to reduce the number of minority seats in parliament, saying “the low representation will definitely affect efforts to safeguard the rights of his community”.

An Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ruling in February said the 11 minority quota seats were “unconstitutional”, but later reinstated five of them. The seats will be distributed among the Assyrian, Chaldean and Syriac community, as well as the Turkmens.

Farhad Goga, 55, said he was voting for a better future for Iraqi Kurds. “I’m obliged to go out and cast my vote regardless to my situation,” said Mr Goga, a restaurant owner.

The Kurdish region has been plunged in economic uncertainty in the past two years as the regional government struggles to pay the salaries of civil servants on time, often blaming Baghdad for not sending funds from the budget.

Baghdad and Erbil have agreed on a mechanism of sending loans to pay civil servants and social services as a way to tackle the budget allocation issue, which stipulates that the region is entitled to its share only when it hands over 400,000 barrels of oil a day to Baghdad. Kurdish independent oil exports were halted after a Paris arbitration court ruled in favour of a lawsuit filed by Baghdad.

Political disputes and deepening division between the ruling Kurdish parties have also led to widespread discontent in the region. “We’ve been going through the same suffering for the past 30 years,” Mr Goga added, making references to what he said was widespread nepotism, corruption and economic hardship.

He was shot in his left leg in 1996 after Saddam Hussein sent troops to support the KDP against the PUK, during the region’s civil war. He worked for the police at the time and later fled to Europe.

Mr Goga, a PUK supporter, returned in 2008 in the hope of securing a job. “If you’re not one of them, you will not get a job,” he said. “The rule has become akin to monarchy, being inherited."

He believes PUK leader Bafel Talabani can bring about change in the region. “The one who leads us is a young man just like us and, God willing, he will bring real change and take us to safety,” he added.

For the past 40 years, taxi driver Abu Marwan, has been a staunch supporter of the KDP. But in these elections he voted for the opposition New Generation, to protest against the situation in the region.

“All the people here are suffering because of the political infighting, corruption and unemployment, they are struggling to make ends meet,” said Abu Marwan, 60. “There is no justice."

Rewand Jaleel, 26, said that despite setbacks, he still considered the KDP to be the best option to lead the Kurdish government. “Yes, we are facing challenges and there are mistakes, but I still believe in the party’s vision,” said Mr Jaleel, who cast his vote alongside his mother.

“No party is perfect. What matters is that they are committed to dealing with the region’s problems. Our region needs strong leadership that can navigate the tough times ahead."

Voter turnout

Late on Sunday, the election commission announced the turnout across the region was 72 per cent. Dahuk reported the highest turnout at 78 per cent, followed by Erbil (74 per cent), Halabja (69 per cent) and Sulaymaniyah (65 per cent).

Before voting began, the head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq praised the election as “proof of a bright future” for the region and Iraq. “This is a historic day in Kurdistan,” Mohammed Al Hassan was quoted as saying in a statement.

“We congratulate the people of this beloved region on this democratic celebration. We hope that everything continues as we have witnessed, safe and peaceful. The UN is supportive of Iraq and supportive of Kurdistan. The people of Kurdistan deserve all the best, and deserve security and peace. What is happening today is proof of the bright future for Kurdistan and Iraq."

Election commission chief Omar Ahmed said the election was carried out “smoothly, transparently and fairly”, adding that no major breaches were reported. The Kurdish parliamentary elections were held under the supervision of a federal commission for the first time.