Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met with Omar Ahmed Mohammed, the head of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), and other members of the commission.

Al-Sudani’s media office stated that the meeting discussed the preparations for the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Parliamentary elections, and the ongoing efforts by the IHEC to organize the sixth session of the elections, set for October 20.

“The discussions emphasized the completion of all necessary measures to ensure the success of this significant democratic process.” The office said.

Prime Minister al-Sudani reiterated the government's support for the electoral commission, pledging to provide all required resources to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections. He stressed “the importance of neutrality, transparency, and electoral justice, urging the commission and its staff to exert maximum efforts as the countdown to the elections begins.”

Al-Sudani also stressed the need for “free and fair elections that respect the voters' choices and meet the aspirations of the people of the Kurdistan Region.”

It is noteworthy that in June, President Nechirvan Barzani issued a Regional decree setting October 20, 2024, as the official date for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.

The October vote is expected to elect 100 new lawmakers representing the governorates of Iraqi Kurdistan: Erbil (34 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), Halabja (three seats), Al-Sulaymaniyah (38 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), and Duhok (25 seats, including one for Christians).

According to the Electoral Commission, a total of 1,190 candidates are running in the upcoming elections. These candidates are distributed across two coalitions, 13 parties, and include 85 independents, alongside 39 candidates representing minority groups, forming a total of 139 electoral lists.

The overall number of eligible voters amounts to 2,899,878. Of this total, 2,683,618 are registered for general voting, while 215,960 are listed for special voting.