Shafaq News/ Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani emphasized on Saturday the importance of the Kurdistan Regional Parliament elections to renew its legitimacy.
President Barzani said in a speech during a campaign rally in Duhok, followed by Shafaq News Agency, “I, my brother Masrour Barzani, and the leadership of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) are gathered here in this resilient governorate to renew our commitment to Barzani's immortal approach and record another historic victory for the KDP.”
“These elections are very important for the KDP and all the people of Kurdistan,” he added.
The president proceeded, “The elections are crucial to renew the legitimacy of our institutions and represent a mission for the KDP to achieve victory, as the victory of the KDP is a victory for Kurdistan.” Adding, “The victory of the KDP is a guarantor of the rights of all components of Kurdistan and a guarantee of a brighter future for Kurdistan.”
“The region is filled with complexities, and in such a challenging environment, strong leadership and a strong party are essential, and the KDP, without any doubt, represents that leadership and that party,” he noted.
It is noteworthy that in June, President Barzani issued a Regional decree setting October 20, 2024, as the official date for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.
The October vote is expected to elect 100 new lawmakers representing the governorates of Iraqi Kurdistan: Erbil (34 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), Halabja (three seats), Al-Sulaymaniyah (38 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), and Duhok (25 seats, including one for Christians).
According to the Electoral Commission, a total of 1,190 candidates are running in the upcoming elections. These candidates are distributed across two coalitions, 13 parties, and include 85 independents, alongside 39 candidates representing minority groups, forming a total of 139 electoral lists.
The overall number of eligible voters amounts to 2,899,878. Of this total, 2,683,618 are registered for general voting, while 215,960 are listed forspecialvoting.