Duhok finalizes candidate lists for November polls

Shafaq News – Duhok

Kurdistan Region’s Duhok has become the first province in Iraq to finalize party and candidate lists for the November 11 parliamentary elections, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced on Saturday.

At a press conference, Khalid Abbas, head of IHEC’s Duhok office, outlined that 11 seats will be contested: eight for men, three for women, and one designated for the Christian quota. He emphasized that candidate lists are still under review, cautioning contenders against launching campaigns before receiving final approval.

“Ten electoral lists will compete in Duhok,” Abbas confirmed, naming the Kurdistan Democratic Party, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, Kurdistan Islamic Union, People’s Front, Kurdistan Justice Group, Mawqif Movement, Kurdistan Socialist Party, New Generation Movement, Babylon Movement, and Assyrian National Movement. “Altogether, 61 candidates have registered — 40 men and 21 women.”

Notably, IHEC closed candidate registration nationwide on June 26. Imad Jameel, head of IHEC’s media team, told Shafaq News that all applications will undergo vetting by security, judicial, and oversight bodies before clearance. Voter registration and data updates remain in progress ahead of the November vote.