France to Masoud Barzani: Ready to address disputes between Erbil and Baghdad

Shafaq News/ Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President, Masoud Barzani, received the French Consul General, Dr. Yann Braem, on Monday, at the Saladin Resort in Erbil.

During the meeting, Braem affirmed to Barzani, France's readiness to address disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.

Attention was drawn to the parliamentary elections in the Region, as well as the position and observations of KDP regarding the elections. Besides emphasizing the importance of the elections in the Kurdistan Region, the French Consul in Erbil confirmed his country's support for a “strong and stable Kurdistan Region and the resolution of complications and concerns among political parties in the Region.”

Barzani praised France's role in supporting the Kurdish cause, describing the relationship between the Kurdish and French peoples as “historical and unique.”

He also emphasized that KDP is the “constructor of the regional elections”, adding that “during the past two years, the Kurdistan Democratic Party has made every effort to hold elections on time, but the elections were obstructed, and external hands and the Federal Court were openly resorting to placing obstacles in the way of holding fair and transparent elections, depriving national and religious components of elections and depriving hundreds of thousands of voters of their right to vote.” Barzani stressed that KDP is in favor of “holding free and fair elections without any intervention or pre-design, as the party's positions aim to thwart plans aimed at usurping the will of the Kurdish people.”

In another aspect of the meeting, Barzani emphasized the need to “address all technical obstacles, constitutional and legal violations and to elevate the will and genuine voice of the Kurdish people, away from conspiracies and predetermined results.” He also called on the international community to assist in “monitoring and ensuring the conduct of free and genuine elections that serve the legitimacy and genuine voice of the Kurdish people.”

Barzani pointed at Iraq’s Supreme Court rulings that were issued related to the Kurdistan Region’s election law last February, and said that “dividing national and religious groups from elections, hindering hundreds of voters from voting, dissolving Halabja from the right number of seats, and banning in the conduct of the elections, makes the election not to be worthless from the real voice of the people of Kurdistan”.

The Supreme Court declared that a specific article concerning the minority quota in KRG’s provincial election law was deemed "unconstitutional." This article, part of a law initially adopted in 1992 and revised in 2013, mandates 11 quota seats in the Regional parliament for ethnic and religious minorities. In response, the Turkmen (a minority) withdrew from the elections.

Furthermore, the verdict stated that Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission will take over from KRG’s electoral commission to supervise parliamentary elections, which are anticipated to occur next June.

KDP declared in March, its decision to boycott the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region, warning of potential withdrawal from Iraq's political process if the State Administration Coalition (SAC) fails to adhere to agreed-upon terms.

As of Sunday, March 31, the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) in Erbil stated that KDP has not yet submitted its papers to participate in the upcoming regional parliamentary election.