73 women to contest parliamentary seats in Kirkuk

Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Seventy-three women are among 252 candidates registered to run for parliament in Kirkuk province, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) declared on Wednesday.

Speaking to Shafaq News, IHEC spokesperson Ali Abbas revealed that the electoral race in Kirkuk includes five political alliances, nine individual parties, and seven independent candidates. In total, 179 men and 73 women will compete for the province’s 13 parliamentary seats, including one quota seat for the Christians.

According to IHEC data, Kirkuk has 1,229,740 registered voters. Among them, 897,030 have updated their records, obtained biometric identification cards, and are eligible to cast ballots.

Election researcher and activist Abdulrahman Ali highlighted that this year marks the highest female participation in Kirkuk’s history, noting that three of the province’s seats are reserved for women under Iraq’s quota system, which guarantees at least 25 percent female representation in the national Council of Representatives.

“This positive shift in social and political awareness encourages female candidates to put forward ambitious programs addressing the needs of women, families, and youth,” Ali said.

Nationwide, IHEC reported that only 37 of 130 candidates nominated by political parties are women.

Iraq’s parliamentary elections are scheduled for November 11, 2025. The vote will determine the 329-member Council of Representatives, which elects the president and approves the prime minister’s appointment.

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