The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Masoud Barzani, has announced that it will no longer boycott the Iraqi Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections scheduled for June 10. The decision comes after the party expressed objections to the mechanisms for holding the elections, which were initially met with a boycott.
Changes to Election Mechanisms Spark KDP’s Participation
Kabul 24: A KDP official stated that the party will participate in the polls due to the changes introduced to the election mechanism.
The boycott was prompted by the Federal Supreme Court of Iraq’s initial ruling, which eliminated the quota for minorities in the Kurdistan parliament. However, the court has since reversed its decision.
KDP MP Explains Decision to End Boycott
KDP MP Ekhlas al-Dulaimy told Asharq Al-Awsat that the boycott was sparked by the court rulings. She revealed that Kurdistan Region President Nechervan Barzani will issue a decree within two days to set a new date for the elections.
Dulaimy emphasized that the KDP was never opposed to holding the elections or their timing, having previously called for them twice. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan had demanded a postponement, which led to the initial boycott.
Recent Political Developments
Kurdistan Region President Nechervan Barzani recently visited Baghdad, where he attended meetings for the State Administration Coalition that supports the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
Additionally, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani visited Baghdad last week, meeting with the majority of political and partisan leaderships, including Iraqi President Abdul Latif al-Rashid, Prime Minister Sudani, and acting parliament Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi.
New Date for Elections to Be Set
The KDP’s decision to participate in the elections comes as the party and other stakeholders work to finalize the election process. The new date for the elections will be set by a decree issued by President Barzani within the next two days
