Shafaq News- Erbil
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Saturday rejected Iraq’s presidential election, saying the process “violated” parliament’s internal regulations and that it would not recognize the outcome.
The party said parliament scheduled the session without consultation, describing the move as a breach of its approved procedures.
“The presidency is an entitlement of the people of Kurdistan,” it added, criticizing the selection of a candidate from outside the Region who was nominated by a party –referencing the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)– and backed by other political forces.
The KDP said it would not recognize or engage with anyone chosen through what it described as an “illegitimate process” as a representative of the majority of Kurdistan. Its parliamentary bloc boycotted the session, which the party said should have resulted in the withdrawal of its candidate from the election process.
For now, the party revealed that its blocs in parliament and the federal government have returned to the Kurdistan Region to assess the situation and “monitor developments.”
Earlier today, new President Nizar Amedi secured 227 votes in a second-round runoff after no candidate met the two-thirds threshold in the initial vote. A senior PUK leader and former environment minister, Amedi has held multiple senior roles within Iraq’s presidency since 2005, including chief of staff to three presidents, and currently serves in the State Administration Coalition.