Shafaq News – Erbil

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and former President of the Kurdistan Region, on Wednesday praised Iraq's recently held parliamentary elections, hoping that their results will help put the nation on the right path.

In a statement, Barzani thanked the KDP’s leadership, members, and supporters, as well as the security forces and relevant authorities, highlighting their role in ensuring the vote unfolded in a calm and secure environment.

The statement comes as Iraq concluded on Tuesday its sixth general parliamentary elections since 2003, with the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) reporting voter turnout above 55%.

Preliminary figures obtained by Shafaq News Agency indicated that the KDP surpassed one million votes, with more than 383,000 in Duhok, 341,000 in Erbil, 62,000 each in al-Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, 51,000 in Kirkuk, and 125,000 in Nineveh.

Following these tallies, Kurdistan Region President and KDP deputy leader Nechirvan Barzani said that the party has achieved a “major and historic victory” for both Kurdistan and Iraq.

IHEC has not yet released any official results.

The KDP remains one of the leading Kurdish forces, having secured 25 seats in the 2018 elections and raising its share to 31 in 2021, marking its strongest performance since 2003.

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