Initial results of elections in Iraq’s KRG-held region show KDP, PUK retaining positions, New Generation gaining strength

By Bekir Aydogan

ERBIL, Iraq (AA) - The first official results of parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)-held region of northern Iraq show the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) maintaining their seats, with the opposition New Generation Movement (NGM) making a big leap.

The voting process for the sixth parliamentary elections in the region, which had been postponed for around two years and in which over 2.5 million voters had the right to cast ballots, was completed on Sunday.

Initial results show the KDP finishing first and the PUK second, followed by its Sulaymaniyah-based rival the NGM.

According to local media, the unofficial results for the distribution of seats in the KRG parliament showed that the KDP, which won 45 seats with over 686,000 votes in 2018, won 39 seats and maintained first place, while the PUK, which won 21 seats with over 319,000 votes in 2018, held on to second place with 23 seats.

The New Generation Movement made a big leap and reached 15 seats.

In the previous election, it won eight seats with over 127,000 votes.

While Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission said the initial results of the elections will be announced within 24 hours, the first unofficial results were published in the local media.

- Changes to quota, electoral system

In the previous period, 11 seats were allocated to ethnic groups in the 111-seat KRG parliament.

Parliamentary elections, which must be held every four years in the region, were last held on Sept. 30, 2018, and Turkmens and Christians, who are subject to the quota system, sent five and six deputies to the parliament, respectively.

On Feb. 21, the Iraqi Federal Court ruled that the region was divided into four electoral districts and that the quota of 11 seats in the KRG Assembly -- five for Turkmens and six for Christians -- was “unconstitutional" and announced that the number of seats in the assembly was reduced to 100.

On May 21, the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council decided to allocate a quota of five seats for Turkmens, Christians and Armenians in the assembly.

The distribution of political parties in the KRG parliament, which was reduced by the Iraqi Federal Court to 100 seats, five of which were reserved for ethnic groups, remained in place with certain changes.

- Participation rate in elections increases

In the KRG parliamentary elections, 1,191 candidates, including 368 women, competed to enter the 100-seat parliament, including five quotas reserved for Turkmens, Christians and Armenians.

In the special voting process held on Friday in which more than 215,000 security forces took part, the turnout reached 97%, while the total turnout rate in the KRG parliamentary elections reached 72%, including 74% in Erbil, 65% in Sulaymaniyah, 69% in Halabja and 78% in Duhok.

The turnout rate in the KRG's parliamentary elections in 2018 was 59.8%.

*Writing by Serdar Dincel in Istanbul