KRG, IHEC delegation meet to address parliamentary elections

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The delegations of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Kurdistan Region Presidency convened a meeting with the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) in the presence of representatives from the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to address matters pertaining to the upcoming parliamentary elections.

According to a Kurdistan24 reporter, the IHEC has notified the Kurdistan Region Presidency delegation that should the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court rule in favor of KRG on the complaint against the KRG election law on Wednesday, parliamentary elections could be held in early to mid-June.

The Kurdistan Region Presidency and the IHEC are currently awaiting the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court’s decision to determine the date for the elections, per Kurdistan24 reporter.

The delegations of the KRG and the Kurdistan Region Presidency have conveyed their willingness to support and facilitate the parliamentary elections process transparently and professionally.

At the meeting, the IHEC deliberated on the technical procedures and time management required to conduct the elections within the specified legal timeframe. UNAMI representatives affirmed their preparedness to collaborate on all necessary measures to guarantee the efficacy of the electoral process.

Kurdistan Region President Barzani on August 3 set February 25, 2024, as the new date for parliamentary elections that had been delayed by more than a year due to political infighting.

Due to political infighting, the Kurdistan Region parties could not agree on amending the election law last year, triggering the extension of the current Kurdistan Parliament term by a year.

The Iraqi Supreme Court in August issued its verdict on the extension, calling it “unconstitutional.”

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and President Nechirvan Barzani have reiterated their calls for holding the elections on time and without further delay.

UNAMI has also called on the political parties to hold the polls on time.

Emad Jamil, a top official from the IHEC, on Jan. 3, told Kurdistan24 that the commission would not be able to hold the Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections due to the postponement of the Federal Supreme Court’s decision on the quota seats to Jan. 21.

Every four years, Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections are held to elect the 111 members. The election was first held in 1992 and the most recent election was held in 2018.

Dawid Salman, the Director of the IHEC, previously told Kurdistan24 that there are 3.6 million eligible voters in the Kurdistan Region.