Masoud Barzani calls for implementation of Iraqi Constitution as nationwide protests continue
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani on Saturday said the issues in Iraq, which have led to nationwide protests, are a result of years of poor governance and the ignoring of the Iraqi Constitution.
In a statement published on his official website, Barzani expressed his concerns about the “political tension and protests taking place in Iraq,” adding that the unrest is a result of 15 years of failure by the federal government.
The Iraqi people have witnessed “a great deal of suffering, and they have the right to demand their rights,” he said. “The problems can only be solved by listening to the legitimate demands of the people and not through bloodshed.”
“One of Iraq’s biggest problems is not implementing the constitution,” Barzani emphasized, highlighting that if the constitution were effectively executed, “the previous and current problems would not exist.”
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Barzani mentioned that another factor for the issues in Iraq is the election law. “The election law must be amended in a way that results from the true and just reflection of the factions,” the statement read.
Regarding calls for an amendment to the Iraqi Constitution, the senior Kurdish leader said no such move could be made by force.
An amendment of the Iraqi Constitution “must not affect the principles of democracy and the rights of the Kurds or any other groups,” he said.
Barzani affirmed that a democratic system “is in the best interest of the people of Iraq,” concluding that any form of dictatorship or amendment to the constitution must be done “through legal and constitutional mechanisms.”
Editing by Karzan Sulaivany