Kurdistan Region of Iraq holds first parliamentary elections since 2018, high voter turnout reported

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq — The Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) held its first parliamentary elections since 2018, with the general voting process running from 7 AM to 6 PM on Sunday. According to Jumana al-Ghalai, a spokesperson for the election commission, voter turnout was robust, with 97% participation in the special election for parliamentary seats. Out of 215,560 registered voters, 208,521 cast their ballots.

Al-Ghalai reported that the general public voting rate reached 70%, while the combined participation rate for both special and general voting stood at 72%.

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Five quota seats were allocated in these elections: two in Erbil Governorate, two in Sulaymaniyah, and one in Nohadra (Duhok). Dana Amang secured the Christian quota seat in Sulaymaniyah, while Christian candidate James Hasdu won the seat for the Christian component in Nohadra.

The elections marked a significant democratic event for the KRI, with a relatively smooth process and a strong turnout, despite 71 complaints reported concerning the special voting process.