Active participation from minority communities in Kurdistan parliamentary elections

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, citizens from various minority communities in the Kurdistan Region actively participated in the parliamentary elections.

According to Shafaq News Agency’s correspondent, Christian constituents gathered at polling stations in the Ainkawa area to take part in the elections, although the turnout in the Region remained relatively low.

Botros, a Christian voter, expressed, "I came to participate in the Kurdistan parliamentary elections to enhance the representation of minorities, hoping that those we trust will address the issues faced by our communities."

Another Christian voter, Nawzad, noted that "the participation rate among minority communities is somewhat good in this election, but the number of allocated seats is few and does not reflect the demographic composition or geographical distribution, particularly for the Christian community."

He added, "Despite these challenges, I believe participation is important, and the most crucial aspect is selecting the right and effective individuals to enter the Kurdistan Parliament."

Numerous religious and ethnic minorities live in Kurdistan, mainly Turkmen, Assyrians, Yazidi, and Christians.

A total of 1,091 candidates from both genders are competing for 100 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament, five of which are reserved for minority groups. This number has been reduced from 11 seats following a decision by the Federal Supreme Court, Iraq's highest judicial authority.

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani deemed the Federal Court's decision to cancel the minorities' quotas as "a blow to partnership and coexistence."