Kurdistan President Nechirvan Barzani warns against delaying Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary election

“Delaying the elections will harm the image and standing of the Kurdistan Region.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/08/10 20:51

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday chaired a meeting with Kurdish political parties in Erbil (Photo: Kurdistan Region’s Presidency).

Kurdistan Kurdistan UNAMI Nechirvan Barzani Kurdistan Region Elections 2022 Kurdistan Region Presidency

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday underlined after chairing a meeting with Kurdish political parties in Erbil that delaying the Kurdistan regional parliamentary elections will “harm the image and standing of the Kurdistan Region.”

Today’s meeting was also attended by Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The meeting was focused on discussing the upcoming elections in the Kurdistan Region originally planned for October 1, 2022. However, the political parties continue to have disagreements on the electoral law and changes in the Kurdistan Election Commission.

President Nechirvan Barzani during the meeting expressed hope that the political parties reach an agreement to determine an election date and resolve the existing differences, according to a press release of the Kurdistan Region’s Presidency.

During the meeting, UNAMI head Hennis-Plasschaert underlined the significance of the political parties reaching an agreement on the election issue and setting a date for the process to take place.

She also expressed the full support of the United Nations for the elections to be held successfully.

Hennis-Plasschaert also warned that all political parties should reach a conclusion soon, due to time constraints.

During the meeting between the Kurdish political parties it was agreed that it will be held in early September to solve differences between the parties on the election process.

The Kurdistan Region Presidency, moreover, said that the political parties will continue to discuss and prepare for the elections in cooperation with the UNAMI’s team of experts.

Responding to a call by Hennis-Plasschaert, the leaders of the Kurdish major political parties for the first time met on May 26 to discuss their political disagreements so that the elections could be held on time.