Shafaq News – Al-Sulaymaniyah
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) nearly withdrew from Iraq’s political process before a recent oil export deal between Baghdad and Erbil shifted its stance, a senior party official revealed Wednesday.
Ali Hussein, head of the KDP’s organizational office in al-Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, told reporters the party had considered boycotting the November 11 elections due to “obstacles and excuses” surrounding public salaries and budget allocations.
The deadlock broke after negotiations with Baghdad, backed by international mediation, produced a new agreement allowing the Kurdistan Region to resume oil exports while committing its non-oil revenues to the federal government for the next three months.
Hussein confirmed that the KDP will now fully participate in the elections, expressing confidence that the party will expand its representation in the next Council of Representatives.
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Dominant in Erbil, Duhok, and several disputed territories including Kirkuk, the KDP secured 25 seats in 2018 and 31 in 2021, maintaining its position as the leading Kurdish bloc in Baghdad.
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The official also criticized Iraq’s current electoral law as “unfair to Kurds” and “inconsistent with national interests,” yet insisted the KDP remains well-positioned to strengthen its base.
He predicted that a new government formed after the elections will likely seek to renegotiate a long-term framework to permanently resolve the Kurdistan Region’s budget and salary disputes.
Read more: Pipe dream or partnership? Iraq’s oil restart tests a fragile federal compact