SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region — President Nechirvan Barzani of the Kurdistan Region has announced that parliamentary elections will be held on June 10th, 2024, marking the end of a prolonged delay. In a statement from the KRI Presidency, Barzani affirmed the readiness of all key institutions, including the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), for the upcoming electoral process.
The decision comes after a period of political disputes among the Region’s ruling parties, primarily the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), which led to the postponement of the elections for several times.
President Barzani signed a presidential decree on Sunday, setting the date for the sixth term of the Kurdistan Parliament. The decree aims to ensure the smooth implementation of the electoral process, with all the relevant parties demonstrating readiness and commitment to cooperate with IHEC, the statement reads.
“The decree is effective immediately, and all necessary measures must be taken from today, upon its issuance.”
The announcement follows several previous postponements, with the most recent delay occurring on February 25th due to the IHEC’s inability to complete necessary preparations. However, recent decisions by the IHEC, issued on February 21st, have outlined plans for overseeing the upcoming elections in the Region.
Under the latest instructions, the Kurdistan Region will be divided into four constituencies, and the number of parliamentary seats will be reduced from 111 to 100, effectively ending the allocation of 11 quota seats reserved for minorities.
