Dominant Kurdish parties in Iraq maintain their sway in regional parliament elections

IRBIL, Iraq -- Election results from nan vote for nan location parliament successful Iraq’s semi-autonomous bluish Kurdish region show nan 2 ascendant Kurdish parties person maintained their clasp while an guidance statement has made inroads, officials said Wednesday.

According to nan Independent High Electoral Commission, nan Kurdistan Democratic Party — pinch its guidelines of support successful nan location capital, Irbil, and nan metropolis of successful Dohuk — made nan strongest showing, securing 39 seats.

The rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan won 23 seats, continuing its power complete nan metropolis of Sulaymaniyah. In nan 2018 elections, nan 2 parties won 45 and 21 seats, respectively.

A comparatively caller guidance party, New Generation, won 15 seats, a important summation from nan 8 seats it sewage successful 2018, erstwhile nan statement was first established.

The Kurdistan Islamic Union, which came successful 4th pinch 7 seats, announced it will subordinate nan New Generation successful guidance successful nan regional, 100-seat parliament. Other insignificant parties took a smattering of seats.

Despite immoderate method issues astatine nan polls, voters turned retired successful ample numbers, pinch 72% of eligible voters casting ballots.

The surge successful support for nan New Generation appeared to stem from increasing disillusionment among younger voters, who are progressively disappointment pinch nan region’s ongoing economical challenges, including delays successful net payments, precocious unemployment, and perceived corruption wrong nan accepted governmental leadership.

Economic concerns stay astatine nan forefront — wide dissatisfaction complete delayed payments to civilian servants, fluctuating lipid prices, and ongoing fund disputes pinch nan cardinal authorities successful Baghdad person fueled calls for reform.

Three Assyrian Christian candidates and 2 Turkmen candidates secured nan 5 remaining quota seats for minorities, contempt nan Iraqi national court’s arguable elimination of nan reserved seats for taste and belief minorities earlier this year.

These seats are usually filled by candidates backed by nan awesome governmental parties, starring immoderate to opportunity that they do not connection a genuine number representation.

“We nary longer person existent practice successful nan parliament aliases nan government; our voices are being silenced,” said Toma Khoshaba, an Assyrian taste activist.

Khoshaba based on that that these “so-called independent Assyrian representatives occupying nan quota seats are mostly supported by nan Kurdistan Democratic Party” aliases by Shiite factions.

"Their loyalty lies pinch these ascendant governmental groups, not pinch our communities,” he said.

The predetermination result will besides play a pivotal domiciled successful determining really Kurdish leaders grip ongoing disputes pinch Baghdad, peculiarly complete lipid gross sharing and fund allocations, arsenic good arsenic nan region's broader economical challenges.