KDP: Iraq's Kirkuk hiring shows systematic marginalization

Shafaq News/ On Friday, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) bloc in Iraq's Kirkuk Provincial Council condemned the “discriminatory” hiring practices in recent public sector appointments.

In a statement, the bloc alleged that Kurds were sidelined in a recent round of government appointments, receiving only 7 out of 156 positions following a state-run training course, despite Kurdish voter turnout surpassing 50% in the latest federally supervised elections.

The KDP accused authorities of implementing “a systematic policy of marginalization” to diminish Kurdish participation in local governance, warning that Kurdish representation in Kirkuk’s institutions has fallen below 15%.

Calling the disparity “a violation of constitutional guarantees of equality and justice,” the bloc urged federal and local governments to address the imbalance and ensure hiring reflects the province’s demographic composition.

It also rejected what it called “politically motivated discrimination,” announcing plans to pursue legal and constitutional measures, including peaceful protests protected under Iraqi law.