Technical reasons prevent Kurdistan Region electoral commission from holding elections on time: Deputy Speaker 

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region cannot hold parliamentary elections on time for technical reasons, even if the political parties agree to proceed, the parliament’s deputy speaker said on Saturday.

“Let me be honest with you, even if all political parties agree to hold the election on time, the Kurdistan Region’s Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission will not be able to do so for technical reasons,” Deputy Speaker of the Kurdistan Parliament Hemin Hawrami told reporters on Saturday.

There are less than three months left for the elections to be held. The Kurdistan Region previously announced it would hold its sixth parliamentary elections on Oct. 1. 

The issues of updating the electoral registry, minorities’ quota seats, and electoral districts have been the main points of contention between the political parties. 

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has favored holding the elections on time, as its officials have reiterated on numerous occasions. Other parties, however, have insisted on first amending the electoral law. 

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) held at least two meetings with the Kurdish parties to discuss the electoral situation.