Kurdistan Region Presidency sets October 20 date for parliamentary elections

ERBIL – The Kurdistan Region Presidency confirmed on Wednesday that the next parliamentary elections are to be held on Oct. 20, 2024.

This decision marks the fifth attempt to schedule the sixth round of elections in the region. Initially set for October 2022, the process faced delays due to political discord.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, a major political force in the region, previously resisted the election timeline, citing concerns over the allocation of minority seats and the unstable political landscape following a violent internal conflict. Another proposed date in February 2024 was postponed due to ongoing legal challenges and disputes at the Federal Supreme Court.

A subsequent declaration by Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani to hold elections on June 10, 2024, also faltered due to a boycott by his own Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Dilshad Shahab, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region Presidency, noted that the new election date was established after extensive consultations with all concerned parties.

As of June 9, twelve parties had registered for the elections, with the KDP’s participation increasing the number to thirteen.

The KDP, which commands significant influence in the region, reversed its earlier decision to boycott the elections, originally scheduled for June 10 this year. The party had objected to what it called “unconstitutional” and “illegal” rulings by the Federal Supreme Court regarding the election laws of the Kurdistan Parliament.

On February 21, 2024, after multiple postponements, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court finally issued a ruling on the contested election law from 1992. The court’s decision redefined the number of parliamentary seats to 100 and annulled 11 seats previously allocated by quota, reorganizing the electoral map into four constituencies that align with the region’s governorates.

The Iraqi Electoral Judiciary Council reinstated five quota seats for minorities within the Kurdistan Parliament, allowing a way out of the political deadlock.