President Nechirvan Barzani calls for Kurdish unity in next Iraqi government

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – After he cast his vote for Iraq’s parliamentary elections on Sunday morning, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani urged all Kurdish parties to establish a unified front for the formation of the next government in Baghdad.

Responding to a question posed to him by Kurdistan 24 reporter Nawras Abdullah, President Barzani said that all Kurdish political parties must sit and discuss unity in Baghdad.

“Here are the steps, all the sides will be called up to come to the Kurdistan Region Presidency (office) to have discussions, to be together in Baghdad, so they can defend the constitutional rights of Kurdistan Region,” Barzani told Kurdistan 24.

“I hope this new parliamentary term and government will be different than the previous ones and can change how the country is run,” he added.

The president also reminded the gathering of the reporters that the Kurdistan Region is a constitutional region within Iraq.

“The Kurdistan Region’s goals benefit Iraq too,” he said.   

Last week, at a campaign rally in Sulaimani province, President Barzani challenged fellow members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) to beat him to the polling center, insisting that he would be the first to vote. Taking him up on this challenge, tens of KDP members flocked to the polling centers very early on Sunday morning to cast their vote before the president. Some of them posted photos of themselves voting on social media.

.@IKRPresident Nechirvan Barzani casts his vote in #IraqiElections early morning at a polling station in #Erbil. pic.twitter.com/ZPG2fm6CLR

— Kurdistan Region Presidency (@KurdistanRegion) October 10, 2021