Iraqi Kurdistan’s parliamentary elections: hopes for change amid political tensions

Residents of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region went to the polls on Sunday in parliamentary elections, with hopes that the vote will bring changes to the region’s political landscape and improve deteriorating economic conditions. 

The election comes after a ruling by Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court in May 2023, which deemed the extension of the Kurdistan parliament's term unconstitutional. This decision dissolved the Kurdish legislature, leading to fresh elections under the supervision of the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).

This election is the sixth general vote since the Kurdistan Region gained autonomy in 1991, and it has been repeatedly delayed due to political infighting and electoral disputes.

It remains highly competitive, with the two dominant ruling parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), vying with opposition parties for 100 seats, including 38 candidates competing for five reserved minority seats.

About 2.9 million residents across the Kurdistan Region are registered to vote, with over 1,200 polling stations open for the elections.

Many voters expressed a desire for significant change.

Aziz Faraj Rashid, a voter from Sulaymaniyah, told The New Arab, “Today I cast my vote. Certainly, we should see changes in every election. In 1991, we saw the ruling parties had won the majority with over 95 of the seats, but now their votes have diminished to less than half, therefore their votes are constantly diminished as they could not serve this region, its people, and the Kurdistan region’s infrastructure.”

Rashid also expressed his frustration over the lack of basic services, noting that many voters have boycotted the election due to dissatisfaction with public services and hopelessness in the potential for change.

Economic issues, including delayed salary payments to civil servants, fluctuating oil prices, and budget cuts from Baghdad, dominated the concerns of the electorate.

Corruption has also become a central issue, with widespread allegations of nepotism and a lack of transparency within the regional government. Many young voters are calling for reforms, demanding an end to political mismanagement.

Vian Sheikh Ali, head of the elections monitors from the Tammuz Organization for Social Development, told TNA that the elections were proceeding smoothly, with only minor issues involving fingerprint identification at voting stations.

“The fingerprints issue is related to some cases due to the registration process of the voters and skin disease by the voters,” she explained.

Although Ali noted there were no instances of voter fraud, she reported breaches of IHEC regulations, including some campaigning near voting centres and photographs of ballots being taken by voters.

Representatives of local NGOs and political parties on Friday told TNA that they have also observed cases where security personnel took photos of their ballots, possibly under pressure from superiors.

Despite these violations, many voters remained hopeful. Salam Muhamed Amin, another voter from Sulaymaniyah, described the process as “very transparent” and expressed optimism that the elections would bring change.

However, concerns remain over whether the KDP and PUK, which maintain separate security forces, will accept the results if one party loses significant seats.

“The two ruling parties should accept the results and have no other choices because the elections were held under legal pressures by Iraq’s top court and the Iraqi government,” Rashid said. “I think if the two parties had any will, they would not let the elections be held.”

Relations between the Kurdistan Region and the Iraqi federal government are another key issue in the election, particularly over oil revenue-sharing and budget allocations. Although Baghdad has begun paying KRG employees directly, the Kurdish authorities have yet to fully comply with requirements to submit oil and local revenues to the federal government.

In a recent visit to Erbil, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani affirmed his commitment to the Kurdish people, saying, “We are committed to ensuring the rights of the Kurdish people, but this must be done within Iraq’s constitution.”

Bnar Ibrahim Mohammed, a voter from the Tasluja area of Sulaymaniyah, shared her hopes for success in the region but noted the low voter turnout, attributing it to “hopelessness” due to the economic struggles facing many residents.

In addition to the KDP and PUK, several opposition parties, including the New Generation Movement, Kurdistan Islamic Union, and Kurdistan Justice Group, are seeking to expand their presence in the parliament.

These parties have long criticised the political dominance of the KDP and PUK, accusing them of corruption and mismanagement.

The last regional elections, held in 2018, saw the KDP secure 45 seats in parliament, while the PUK followed with 21. However, the elections were marred by widespread accusations of voter fraud, with turnout at just 57%.

As this year’s results begin to emerge, voters hope the outcome will bring the much-needed change to address the region’s political and economic challenges.