Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian political parties in Iraq condemn abolition of quota seats in Kurdistan Regional Parliament, urge international intervention

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — Six Chaldean–Syriac-Chaldean-Assyrian political parties in Iraq have issued a scathing rebuke of the Federal Supreme Court’s decision to abolish minority quota seats in the Kurdistan Regional Parliament, denouncing it as a grave threat to democracy and minority rights.

In a joint statement, the Bethnahrin Patriotic Union (Huyodo Bethnahrin Athroyo, HBA), Assyrian Democratic Movement (Zowaa), Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian Popular Council, Abnaa al-Nahrain, Assyrian Patriotic Party, and Beth Nahrin Democratic Party decried the court’s ruling as a constitutional violation, asserting that it undermines the fundamental principles of democracy, pluralism, and peaceful coexistence.

The parties emphasized the Iraqi Constitution’s explicit guarantees of rights for all components of the Iraqi people, including national and religious minorities, highlighting the decision’s ominous implications for democracy, human rights, and national unity.

Expressing deep concern over the message conveyed by the Court’s decision, particularly regarding the recognition of minority representation, the parties called upon the United Nations and the international community to intervene and safeguard the rights of minorities, condemning the move as a blatant violation of international conventions and resolutions.

In a fervent plea for justice, the parties demanded the restoration of quota seats for Chaldean–Syriac–Assyrian, Turkmen, and Armenian representatives in the Kurdish Parliament, urging for their parliamentary representation to be shielded from political manipulation and partisan strife.