Duhok Municipality imposes strict rules on election campaigns ahead of Kurdistan parliamentary elections

Shafaq News/ On Monday, the Duhok Municipality announced a series of strict guidelines for organizing election campaigns in preparation for the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Parliament elections, scheduled for October 20.

Ismail Mustafa, the media officer for the municipality, told Shafaq News Agency that "the issued guidelines aim to preserve the city's appearance and prevent any practices that could disrupt daily life or mar public views."

Mustafa highlighted the key regulations: "Candidates and political parties are prohibited from defacing the city or placing posters in areas that could obstruct visibility."

Mustafa emphasized that "election campaigns must not disrupt traffic in any way, and the use of traffic signals and road lighting for promotional purposes is strictly forbidden."

He added that the guidelines also prohibit election events in school buildings, public spaces, places of worship, and government institutions affiliated with the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Regarding the Duhok city market, Mustafa confirmed that "placing election posters within the market is banned to maintain order and cleanliness," noting that "all waste from election posters must be removed immediately after the campaign ends."

He pointed out that "the municipality, in coordination with the Independent High Electoral Commission, will impose financial penalties on those who violate these guidelines."

The election campaign for the Kurdistan Regional Parliament is set to begin in mid-September.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani issued a regional decree on June 26, setting October 20, 2024, as the date for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.

Elections for Iraq's Kurdistan parliament, originally scheduled for 2022, were most recently set for June 10.

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).