Kurdistan Region fields over 300 candidates for Iraq’s November elections
Shafaq News – Erbil
Kurdish political parties are preparing for a tight race in Iraq’s parliamentary elections set for November 11, 2025, with more than 300 candidates from the Kurdistan Region competing for 46 seats in Baghdad’s 329-member legislature.
According to Shafaq News data, 301 Kurdish candidates are among the 7,768 contenders approved nationwide. The 46 seats allocated to the four provinces in the Kurdistan Region include 12 reserved for women.
Erbil Province
In Erbil, 108 candidates are competing for 16 seats, including one for the Christian quota, and four for women.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Masoud Barzani, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), chaired by Bafel Talabani, are each fielding 30 candidates. They are followed by Helwest (National Stance Movement-NSM) with 12, and New Generation with 8.
The Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), led by Salahuddin Bahauddin, is fielding four candidates in the province, while the Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG-Komal), headed by Ali Bapir, is also competing with fewer nominees.
Duhok Province
Duhok has 58 candidates contesting 12 seats, also including one for the Christian community, and three for women.
The KDP leads with 22 candidates, while the PUK, New Generation, and Kurdistan Social Democratic Party (K.S.D.P) each have 5.
The KIU and KJG are also present, with four candidates each across the region.
Al-Sulaymaniyah and Halabja Provinces
Al-Sulaymaniyah and Halabja together have 135 candidates running for 18 seats, including five for women quota.
In Al-Sulaymaniyah, both main parties — the PUK and KDP — are fielding 36 candidates each. Helwest has 18, New Generation 12, and the People’s Front (led by former PUK co-chair Lahur Sheikh Jangi) 11.
The KIU is represented by eight candidates in Al-Sulaymaniyah, while KJG’s participation remains limited.
Main Kurdish Parties Nationwide
The KDP is fielding 176 candidates across Iraq, including in Erbil, Duhok, Al-Sulaymaniyah, Nineveh, Kirkuk, Baghdad, and Diyala. Its strongest support base remains in Erbil and Duhok, where it has long managed local administrations.
The PUK is participating with 183 candidates nationwide, including nominees from the Kurdistan Region. Its main strength lies in Al-Sulaymaniyah and Kirkuk, with additional presence in Erbil, Nineveh, and parts of central Iraq. It is running independently within the Kurdistan Region while maintaining coordination with allied groups elsewhere.
Voter Landscape
The Independent High Electoral Commission reports 21.4 million Iraqis with biometric voting cards, including 3.07 million voters in the Kurdistan Region. Of these, 1.08 million are in Erbil, 1.21 million in Al-Sulaymaniyah (including Halabja), and 778,000 in Duhok.
Read more: Iraq’s 2025 Parliamentary Elections — What You Need to Know
