Kurdish PM Barzani condemns “rights violations by federal institutions,” vows to combat extremism
Shafaq News/ On Thursday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) PM Masrour Barzani stated that certain internal political forces and Iraqi institutions have sought to violate the rights of components within the Region, though he did not name specific entities.
Speaking at the opening of the First Syriac Symposium in the Homeland in Erbil, Barzani emphasized that “the KRG is committed to preserving and enhancing coexistence, a cornerstone of Kurdistan’s identity and a source of pride,” noting “the government’s continuous defense against any extremist or divisive ideologies.”
Apparently referring to “the reduction of the quota seats for components in the Kurdistan Parliament from 11 to 5 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament Election Law,” Barzani stated, "Internal forces and some federal Iraqi institutions have recently attempted to infringe on the rights of components."
"We have confronted these plans and efforts with all our capabilities, and part of these violated rights has been restored."
The Kurdish PM concluded, “We hope that in the next Kurdistan Parliament session, we will appropriately establish the rights and representation of all components in both parliamentary and executive roles.”
Notably, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani set October 20, 2024, for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections. Originally scheduled for June 2024, the elections were postponed after the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) boycotted due to a federal court ruling that canceled 11 seats for minority groups, reducing the parliament to 100 seats and changing the electoral system. A new ruling in May restored five minority seats, leading the KDP to participate. The elections will elect 100 lawmakers from Erbil, Halabja, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok.
