Islamic Union declares non-participation in Kurdistan government, plans Korea visit for “election integrity”
Shafaq News/ The leadership council of the Kurdistan Islamic Union announced, during a meeting on Saturday, its firm decision to abstain from participating in the formation of the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Government.
In a statement, the Union addressed the "evaluation of the electoral process in Kurdistan Region," highlighting discussions about the accompanying irregularities. “The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) has been assigned to coordinate with relevant parties to address these issues and implement necessary measures,” he added.
According to the statement, the meeting resulted in a unanimous decision for the Kurdistan Islamic Union not to participate in the upcoming government, while continuing its opposition stance within the Kurdistan Parliament.
The Union also welcomed "the peaceful initiatives currently being made to resolve the Kurdish issue in Turkiye through dialogue and negotiation, ensuring rights peacefully."
For his part, Iraqi MP from Al-Sulaymaniyah, Muthanna Amin, confirmed that “the Union is prepared to travel to South Korea to verify the integrity of the electronic voting machines and ensure they have not been tampered with.”
This comes after Iraqi MPs from Al-Sulaymaniyah conducted an unofficial test on one of the machines. During a press conference, Amin explained that "the Kurdistan Islamic Union bloc, along with other alliances, had requested a review of the voting machines used in the recent elections due to suspicions surrounding the results announced by the Commission."
He pointed out, "The Commission accepted our request to conduct an unofficial test on one of the machines, and the results showed no issues with the hardware components. However, concerns persist about the software responsible for counting the votes."
Amin further highlighted that "the concerns centered on the program used for counting votes, as we requested a trial of one of the machines to verify the accuracy of the count. Nevertheless, the Commission clarified that the machine's software is specifically designed to operate only on election day. Therefore, we are ready to travel to Korea and verify with the manufacturer to ensure the process was conducted fairly and without manipulation."
Earlier today, a specialized committee overseeing Kurdistan’s parliamentary elections announced a field investigation into several voting devices used within electoral commission centers in the Hawana district of Al-Sulaymaniyah.
The investigation occurs amid heightened political tensions in Kurdistan over the transparency of the October 20 parliamentary elections. The committee’s goal is to reinforce transparency and validate adherence to standards of integrity, particularly following allegations of potential electoral fraud from several political groups.
This investigation is considered an important step toward reassuring the public and protecting voters' rights, amid increasing calls for enhanced monitoring of the electoral process in the Region.
Notably, Kurdistan’s sixth Parliamentary elections took place on Sunday, where 1,091 candidates competed for 100 seats, five of which are reserved for minority groups.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has emerged as the leading party with 39 seats, followed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with 23 seats, and the New Generation Movement (Al-Jil Al-Jadeed-NGM) securing 15 seats.
