PM Masrour Barzani calls to respect Kurdistan's parliamentary elections results

Shafaq News/ Masrour Barzani, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister said on Tuesday that the recent elections were essential for renewing the mandate of the Kurdistan Region and its democratic process.

During a panel discussion on the sidelines of the Middle East Research Institute (MERI) Forum in Erbil, Barzani remarked that the elections were initially due two years ago but were delayed for clear reasons, adding that “the high voter turnout reflects the Kurdish people’s awareness and commitment to democracy.”

Barzani expressed hope that all parties would accept and respect the election results once they are officially announced, honoring the voice of the people, noting a difference between expectations and reality, as the election results represent the true will of the Kurdish people. "Some political parties had anticipated different outcomes and responded differently once the results were announced," he pointed out.

Last week, Ali Babir, the Head of the Kurdistan Islamic Justice Group, announced his party's decision to abstain from participating in the Kurdistan Region Parliament, declaring that his group was not 100% convinced of the integrity of the election results. At the same time, the leadership council of the Kurdistan Islamic Union announced on Saturday its firm decision to abstain from participating in the upcoming Kurdistan Regional Government, while continuing its opposition stance within the Kurdistan Parliament.

Notably, Kurdistan’s sixth Parliamentary elections took place on October 20, where 1,091 candidates competed for 100 seats, five of which were reserved for minority groups.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has emerged as the leading party with 39 seats, followed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with 23 seats, and the New Generation Movement (Al-Jil Al-Jadeed-NGM) securing 15 seats.