KDP Thanks Sulaimani Residents for Strong Support as Party Leads Iraq’s Parliamentary Elections

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Ali Hussein, the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) Head of Organization and member of its Political Bureau in Sulaimani, on Wednesday expressed deep appreciation to the people of Sulaimani and the wider Kurdistan Region for their strong participation in Iraq’s parliamentary elections, saying the KDP’s success represents “the strength of Kurdistan within Iraq.”

Speaking to Kurdistan24, Hussein praised voters across Kurdistan—especially in Sulaimani—for turning out in large numbers and ensuring a smooth and democratic election process.

“We extend our sincere thanks to the people of Kurdistan, particularly the people of Sulaimani, for their support and participation in raising the KDP’s List 275,” he said.

Hussein noted that compared to other provinces in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region recorded a remarkably high voter turnout, demonstrating, as he put it, “the readiness and belief of the Kurdish people in the democratic process.”

He congratulated all KDP candidates and commended the dedication of party members and supporters. Even candidates who did not win, he said, “played an essential role in the success of the process and the KDP list.”

“Despite limitations and challenges, people stood by us with civic responsibility,” Hussein stated. “A strong KDP means a strong Kurdistan Region. Whenever any Kurdish political front is strong, the Region as a whole becomes stronger.”

He added that messages from KDP President Masoud Barzani and Deputy Leaders Nechirvan Barzani and Masrour Barzani inspired voters to mobilize in large numbers, giving the party more than one million votes nationwide—making it the top party in Iraq.

Hussein reiterated his belief that if Iraq had a single nationwide electoral district instead of the current multi-constituency system, “the KDP’s number of parliamentary seats would have been twice as high or even more.”

He also expressed hope that the election results would help strengthen the Kurdistan Region’s position in Baghdad, enabling progress on long-standing issues such as the federal budget, the oil and gas law, and the status of disputed territories.

“Our goal is to secure the constitutional rights of Kurdistan’s people and resolve all outstanding disputes with Baghdad through cooperation,” he said.

In Nineveh, KDP parliamentary bloc leader Ahmad Kenan Kiki also told Kurdistan24 that the party had achieved strong results, securing around 172,000 votes in the province, surpassing Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s bloc as well as those of Iraq’s defense minister and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) leadership.

Despite pressure, he said, “the KDP emerged as the strongest political force in Nineveh.”

With the inclusion of displaced voters’ ballots from the Nineveh constituency—totaling 23,915 votes—the KDP’s nationwide total reached 1,105,445 votes, according to preliminary figures obtained by Kurdistan24.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has emerged as the dominant political force in both the Kurdistan Region and across Iraq, according to the parliamentary results of the elections, winning more than 1,105,445 votes—the highest total of any party in the country.

Jumana Ghalai, spokesperson for Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), told Kurdistan24 that the commission would announce the official turnout rates and preliminary nationwide results for both the general and special voting rounds on Wednesday evening, at 18:00.

The sixth round of Iraq’s parliamentary elections included special voting on Sunday (Nov. 9) for members of the security forces and other groups, followed by general voting on Tuesday (Nov. 11) across all provinces of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.

According to IHEC data, turnout reached 82.42 percent in the special vote and 54.5 percent in the general vote—among the highest participation rates in recent years.