2018 Kurdistan Region parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections took place in Kurdistan Region on 30 September 2018 to elect Parliament.[1] The election came a year after a failed bid for independence and left the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) with 45 seats, that positioning it to lead the next regional government. Announcement of the results was delayed for three weeks. The KDP's historic rival and junior coalition partner in government, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), was in second place with 21 seats.[2] The results suggest that Masoud Barzani’s KDP will take a dominant position in Kurdish politics.

Kurdistan Region parliamentary election, 2018

← 2013 30 September 2018 2024 →

Total of 111 seats of the Kurdistan National Assembly
56 seats needed for a majority
Turnout51.4%
  First party Second party
 
Leader Nechirvan Barzani Kosrat Rasul Ali
Party KDP PUK
Last election 38 18
Seats won 45 21
Seat change Increase 7 Increase 3
Popular vote 688,070 319,219
Percentage 44.1% 20.5%

Prime Minister before election

Nechirvan Barzani
KDP

Elected Prime Minister

Masrour Barzani
KDP

  Kurdistan Democratic Party: 45 seats
  Patriotic Union of Kurdistan: 21 seats
  Movement for Change: 12 seats
  New Generation Movement: 8 seats
  Kurdistan Islamic Group: 7 seats
  Kurdistan Islamic Union: 5 seats
  Sardam alliance: 1 seat
  Freedom List: 1 seat
  Minorities: 11 seats

Background

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Poster for the elections of the Parliament of the Iraqi Kurdistan general election, 2018

Following the end of the Gulf War in 1991, a civil war, mainly between the Erbil and Dohuk-based Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Sulaymaniyah-based Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led to the establishment of two separate Kurdish regional governments. Following the reconciliation and a power-sharing agreement between KDP and PUK, and Parliamentary elections in 2005, a unified Kurdistan Regional Government was created. The joint KDP–PUK faction Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan assumed power and formed a government that was headed by Nechervan Barzani (KDP; 2006–09) and Barham Salih (PUK; 2009–12).

When former PUK official Nawshirwan Mustafa broke away to form the new Movement for Change (Gorran) party, the new party primarily hurt PUK's electoral support in the 2009 parliamentary elections. The KDP–PUK alliance, now renamed Kurdistan List, formed a new government headed by Nechervan Barzani.

Presidential elections were due to coincide with parliamentary elections in 2013. However, in the months leading to the elections the parliament extended Massoud Barzani’s term for another two years.[3] When the parliamentary elections were held, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) ran on separate lists for the first time since 1992. With its traditionally strong backing in Dohuk and Erbil provinces, the KDP managed to expand its plurality, while falling short of an outright majority. PUK suffered from internal conflicts during the absence of its leader Jalal Talabani, who was recovering from a stroke, and from strong competition by the Movement for Change (Gorran), which established itself as the strongest party in Sulaymaniyah, previously a major stronghold of PUK.[4]

The provincial elections were delayed until November, and then again to 2014, when they were held in conjunction with the Iraqi parliamentary election.

In 2015, as Barzani's term was due to expire, debates continued as to whether it should be extended further, with supporters citing the Kurdish fight against ISIS and the need for stability in the Kurdish regional government. Others have expressed concern that a continued extension of Barzani's term could lead to a President for Life scenario.[5] Both Kurdish politicians and observers in the area worry that the polarizing debate over the presidency will destabilize Kurdish democracy and weaken the region in its fight against the Islamic State.[6] In July 2016, Barzani announced that he would not seek another term as president.[7] The Kurdistan Region Parliament on 24 October 2017 announced that the elections for the presidency and the parliament had been delayed by eight months. The decision was made after the electoral commission stated that the political parties had failed to register their candidates amidst the regional crisis.[8]

Parties participating in election

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21 parties registered for Kurdistan's parliamentary elections:[9]

  1. Coalition for Democracy and Justice (Barham Salih)
  2. Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP)
  3. Turkmen Development Party
  4. Turkmen Democratic Movement in Kurdistan
  5. Change Movement (Gorran)
  6. Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU)
  7. Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa)
  8. Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party
  9. Individual Armenian Political Entity (Aram Birzo Hamo)
  10. Individual Armenian Political Entity (Obar Sipan Gharib)
  11. Turkmen Reform Party
  12. Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal)
  13. Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)
  14. Yezidi Democratic Party
  15. Kurdistan Toilers' Party
  16. Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party
  17. Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council
  18. Communist Party of Kurdistan – Iraq
  19. New Generation Movement
  20. Conservative Party of Kurdistan
  21. Toilers Party of Kurdistan

Electoral system

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The 111 members of the Kurdistan National Assembly were elected by open list proportional representation in a single constituency. Five seats were reserved for the Christian Assyrian minority, five for Turkmen, and one for Armenians. Furthermore, 30% of the members must be women.

Notable participating entities

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List No Party Kurdish name Party leaders
105 Patriotic Union of Kurdistan یەکێتیی نیشتمانیی کوردستان
Yekêtiy Nîştimaniy Kurdistan
Kosrat Rasul Ali
119 Towards Reform بەرەو ئیسڵاح
Hevpeymaniya Ber bi Îslah
Kurdistan Islamic Union & Kurdistan Islamic Movement
127 Sardam Alliance سەردەم
Hevpeymaniya Serdem
Mohammad Hajji Mahmoud
134 New Generation Movement جوڵانەوەی نەوەی نوێ
Culanewey Newey Nwê
Shaswar Abdulwahid Qadir
148 Movement for Change گۆڕان
Bizûtinewey Gorran
Omar Said Ali
156 Kurdistan Conservative Party پارتی پارێزگارانی کوردستان
Partî Parêzgaranî Kurdistan
Zaid Surchi
164 Communist Party of Kurdistan – Iraq (Freedom List) ئازادی
Partî Azadî
Kamal Shakir
183 Kurdistan Democratic Party پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان
Partî Dîmukratî Kurdistan
Massoud Barzani
194 Kurdistan Islamic Group کۆمەڵی ئیسلامی کوردستان-عێراق
Komelley Îslamiy Kurdistaê / Îraq
Ali Bapir

Results

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A ballot paper for the Iraqi Kurdistan Region
Results[10][11]
Political party 2018 2013 Change
Votes % Seats Seats Seats +/−
Kurdistan Democratic Party 688,070 44.1% 45 38  7
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan 319,219 20.5% 21 18  3
Gorran Movement 186,903 12% 12 24  12
New Generation Movement 127,115 8.2% 8 New  8
Kurdistan Justice Party 109,494 7% 7 6  1
Kurdistan Islamic Union 79,912 5.1% 5 11  6
Sardam alliance
(coalition consisting of Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party,
Democratic National Union of Kurdistan and Kurdistan Toilers' Party)
15,581 1% 1 2  1
Freedom List (Communist Party of Kurdistan – Iraq) 8,063 0.5% 1 1  
Total 1,559,021 100 100
Turkmen minority reserved seats
Turkmen Development List
(Turkmen Reform List)
3,318 28.9% 2 2  
Turkmen Reform Party 3,125 27.2% 1 0  1
Turkmen/Iraqi Turkmen Front 1,545 13.5% 1 1  
Nation List 885 7.7% 1
Biz Turkmen (Yelderem) 846 7.4% 0
Erbil Turkmen Coalition 760 6.6% 0
Erbil Turkmen List 695 6.1% 0
Turkmen Democratic Movement 298 2.6% 0 3
Total 11,472 5 5  
Assyrian minority reserved seats
National Union Coalition 8,088 57.7% 3 New  3
Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council 2,963 21.1% 1 2  1
Assyrian Democratic Movement/Rafidain List 2,626 18.7% 1 2  1
Democratic Christian List 238 1.7% 0 New
Sons of Mesopotamia
(Abna al Nahrain List)
108 0.8% 0 1  1
Total 14,023 5 5
Armenian minority reserved seat
Fahik Kamal Saranyan 590 20% 1
Berunt Nissan Markos 590 20% 0 1
Aram Bozo Hamo 611 20.7% 0
Adkar Hakob 439 14.9% 0
Morad Mardros Wartan 425 14.4% 0
Nobar Sypar Qarib 290 9.8% 0
Total 2,945 1 1
Overall total (Counted/Valid votes) 1,587,461 100% 111 111
Registered voters/turnout
3,085,461[12] 51.4%

References

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  1. ^ "KDP comes first in Iraqi Kurdistan election". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-04-30.
  2. ^ "KDP comes first in Iraqi Kurdistan election". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2023-04-30.
  3. ^ Zebari, Abdel Hamid (July 11, 2013). "Iraqi Kurdish Parties Dispute Law Extending Barzani Presidency". Al Monitor. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  4. ^ "Iraq Election Watch: KRG Parliamentary Elections" (PDF). National Democratic Institute. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  5. ^ Salih, Mohammed A. (May 22, 2015). "Fate of Kurdish presidency divides Iraqi Kurds". Al Monitor. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  6. ^ Salih, Mohammed A. (18 August 2015). "Iraqi Kurds in limbo over president's fate". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Barzani: I will not stand in next presidential elections". Rudaw Media Network. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  8. ^ "Iraqi Kurdistan parliament delays presidential elections by eight months". Reuters. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 1 November 2017.
  9. ^ Rudaw news
  10. ^ "The Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission". www.khec.krd. Archived from the original on 2016-01-11.
  11. ^ Rudaw News
  12. ^ "Commission completes preparations for Kurdistan Parliamentary Election: Official". NRT English. 27 September 2018. Archived from the original on 27 September 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.