KDP, PUK agree to hold Kurdistan parliamentary elections on time

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The two major parties of the Kurdistan Region on Wednesday agreed to hold the next parliamentary elections in September.

A delegation from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) met on Wednesday with its counterpart from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) in Sulaimani province. They discussed the process of writing the Kurdistan Region’s constitution, the parliamentary elections, and the reactivation of the electoral commission, according to a joint statement shared with Kurdistan 24. 

“Both sides [the KDP and the PUK] agreed that the Kurdistan Parliament elections should be held on time,” read the statement. 

The Region held its preliminary elections on Sept. 30, 2018, for its 111-seat parliament. The sixth round of legislative elections is set to be held on Sept. 30, 2022. 

The Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission’s (IHRC) mandate expired in 2018 following the 2017 independence referendum and the 2018 general elections. 

To renew its mandate, Kurdish lawmakers need to pass a new law. 

“There shall be shared understanding on the legal and political mechanisms [of the elections],” the two parties agreed.

The two parties will “continue” their meetings in the next week, the statement added. 

Out of the 111 seats, 11 of them are dedicated to the religious and ethnic components of the Kurdistan Region, including Christians and Yezidis.