Shafaq News – Erbil
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Executive Body head Fazil Mirani on Saturday criticized Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) and the current electoral system, voicing ongoing frustration with what he described as structural imbalances.
In an interview with Al-Hadath TV, Mirani contended that the former single-district voting model offered more equitable representation, warning that under the new law, Kurdish candidates must now secure over 20,000 votes to win—a shift he argued undermines electoral fairness.
He also projected that the KDP would receive close to one million votes, expressing optimism about the results, provided the vote-counting process remains transparent.
Characterizing the election as “important but not decisive,” Mirani highlighted the need to prevent political rivalry from escalating into ethnic tension. He criticized the absence of televised debates, arguing that it weakens public engagement and limits voter awareness.
The official further unveiled the KDP’s intention to propose legislation allowing Christians to directly elect their representatives, framing it as a measure to enhance minority rights and political inclusion.
On federal ties, Mirani reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to a stable, functional partnership with Baghdad, stressing that while the Region enjoys internal stability, Iraq’s broader landscape remains fragmented and sovereignty incomplete.
Iraq’s parliamentary elections, scheduled for November 11, 2025, will follow Law No. 4 of 2023, which replaced the 2018 framework with a system dividing each of the 18 provinces—excluding Halabja—into single electoral districts, using the Sainte-Laguë 1.7 formula for seat distribution.
Of Iraq’s nearly 46 million people, around 30 million are eligible to vote, though only 21.4 million hold valid voter cards, according to IHEC data.
The 329-seat parliament includes nine seats reserved for minorities: Christians, Yazidis, Shabaks, Sabean-Mandaeans, and Fayli Kurds. In 2021, the KDP secured 31 seats in Baghdad, up from 25 in 2018, cementing its status as the leading Kurdish force in federal politics. It also leads in Kurdistan, winning 39 of 100 parliamentary seats with over 800,000 votes.
Read more: Iraq’s 2025 Parliamentary Elections — What You Need to Know