IHEC announces preliminary results of Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary election

BAGHDAD — The Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission officially announced the preliminary results of the Kurdistan Region’s sixth parliamentary election, which took place on October 20. The results were revealed in a press conference held in Baghdad on Monday.

According to the provisional vote counts, the Kurdistan Democratic Party received 809,197 votes, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan garnered 408,141 votes.

The New Generation Movement secured 290,911 votes, and the Kurdistan Islamic Union received 116,981 votes. Komal earned 64,710 votes, Helwest gained 55,775 votes, and the People’s Front received 33,365 votes. Gorran rounded out the results with 11,621 votes. Voter turnout was recorded at 72% of those registered with biometrics, though not all eligible voters.

Seat counts are yet to be announced, but rough calculations show the KDP winning 38-40 seats, a small decrease on its 45-seat haul in 2018. The PUK will record a modest increase on its 21 seats from 2018. The biggest winner of the night will prove to be opposition New Generation movement, which will with 15 seats almost double its 2018 result.

In a statement following the results, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated the people of Kurdistan, emphasizing the importance of the election. “The completion of the elections in a peaceful and civilized manner is a great achievement, observed with respect by the world. However, the real completion of this success lies ahead, as the people of Kurdistan are now eagerly awaiting the political parties, after approving the results, to swiftly form a government,” Barzani said.

PUK President Bafel Talabani also commented on the election, praising the high voter turnout. “The active participation of the people reflects a strong commitment to democratic values in the Kurdistan Region,” Talabani said. Addressing PUK members, he added, “Beyond my warm congratulations and deep appreciation, I recognize your tireless efforts to ensure success, renewal, and further development of your party. In these elections, you have recorded a significant victory, and with joy, we have added nearly 200,000 additional votes, which is a great honor for us. It also places a historical responsibility on us to enhance our service to you, and to work harder and more earnestly for the development of a more prosperous Kurdistan.”

Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani praised the election process as an important milestone in the region’s democracy. “The success of our sixth parliamentary elections was another important test of our democracy. First, I congratulate the people of the Kurdistan Region, including all its groups and components. I thank them for their patience and active participation, as well as the families of our martyrs,” he said. Barzani also raised concerns over technical problems that affected some voters. “It is, however, concerning that a significant number of voters were unable to cast their votes due to technical problems. I call for serious efforts to address these issues to ensure the right to vote for every voter in the upcoming elections.”

The IHEC released turnout data for each province. In Erbil, 1,023,606 voters were registered, and 762,929 cast their ballots, resulting in a 74.53% turnout. In Sulaymaniyah, 1,087,192 voters were registered, with 715,499 voting, yielding a 65.81% turnout. In Halabja, 41,671 of the 60,252 registered voters participated, representing a 69.16% turnout. In Duhok, 564,494 of 722,397 registered voters cast ballots, leading to a turnout of 78.14%.

Last night, the IHEC reported that the special voting held on Oct. 18 achieved a 100% match between manual and electronic vote counts, with a 97% turnout. Polling stations for general voting closed on Sunday, and official results are expected soon.

This election saw the Kurdistan Parliament reduced from 111 to 100 seats following a ruling by an Iraqi court. The election was organized into four constituencies—Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, and Halabja—with five seats reserved for minorities and 30 seats allocated to women under the region’s gender quota. Of the six million residents of the Kurdistan Region, 2.9 million were eligible to vote for 100 parliamentary representatives.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani extended his congratulations to the people of the Kurdistan Region following the end of general voting on Sunday.