IHEC Rejects Teachers and Employees' Bid for participation in Kurdistan elections
Shafaq News/ The representative of protesting teachers and employees in Al-Sulaymaniyah announced that the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) rejected their request to participate in the Kurdistan Parliament elections.
On March 3, 2024, the President of the Kurdistan Region signed a regional decree setting the date for the sixth parliamentary elections of the Kurdistan Parliament on June 10.
Alan Hama Khasro said during a press conference that "as a protest against the tragic situation experienced by employees and teachers in Kurdistan due to the ongoing conflict between the Iraqi and Kurdish governments, we decided to have representation in the Kurdish parliament to demand our rights. However, we were surprised to find out that the Commission stated that participation is only for parties or individuals, and we do not represent a party, nor individuals but rather have our own entity…the instructions for registering entities did not allow us to participate."
He added, "Our goal of participating in the elections was to ensure the rights of employees and teachers, and to keep them away from partisan interventions and represent them similarly to what is present in other countries around the world, where all sectors have representation in parliamentary councils."
After enduring multiple postponements and navigating confrontations with Baghdad, the Kurdistan Region is endeavoring to conduct parliamentary elections amid robust participation from various political parties. Foremost among these is the Kurdistan Democratic Party, which presently holds 45 seats, followed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, with 21 seats, and the Gorran party, with 12 seats.
The current parliament encompasses 111 seats, including 11 designated for minorities, a configuration distinct from the current session due to the new federal ruling that the Kurdish parliament comprises 100 members.
