Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Kurdish parties in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, agreed on Tuesday to coordinate their efforts to strengthen their role in the province and ensure active participation in the November 11 parliamentary elections.

Shafaq News correspondent reported that the agreement was reached during a meeting of the main Kurdish parties, including the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by the head of its Kirkuk branch, Mohammed Kamal; the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), represented by Rawand Mala Mahmoud; along with the Kurdistan Communist Party and other Kurdish Islamic parties.

Hassan al-Jabari, an expert on electoral affairs in Kirkuk, told Shafaq News that the parties agreed to contest the elections on separate lists, rather than running under a unified slate. He explained that this decision reflects differing political strategies among the Kurdish factions, despite overall coordination on local matters.

Al-Jabari warned that running separately could affect the distribution of Kurdish seats in parliament, especially in Kirkuk, which has a diverse population. “With parties vying for the same electorate, each will aim to consolidate its support among voters,” he concluded.