Strong Kurdistan Region important for both Erbil, Baghdad: State Dept

WASHINGTON DC, United States - A strong, secure, and resilient Kurdistan Region that places emphasis on human rights and democracy is “important” not only for Erbil but also Baghdad, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iran and Iraq told Rudaw on Wednesday, stressing that Kurdish elections must be held as soon as possible. 

“Having a strong and resilient IKR [Iraqi Kurdistan Region] that is secure, prosperous, protects democracy and human rights, this is important, not only for the IKR but that is also important for Baghdad as well,” Victoria Taylor told Rudaw in Washington, calling for elections to be held “as soon as possible.” 

Taylor stressed that the Kurdistan Region’s ruling parties - the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) - must find a way to set aside their differences and cooperate to “confront some of the real security and economic challenges that they are facing right now.” 

The Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections were initially scheduled for October 2022 but were pushed to November of the following year due to disagreements among political parties over the election law.

After an Iraqi court ruling against the self-extension of the Kurdistan parliament as a result of the delayed elections, the poll was postponed to February 2024, this time under the supervision of the Iraqi electoral commission which announced that the Region's leaders should appoint a new date as the vote cannot be held on the scheduled one.

Last week, delegations from Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) and the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) met with Kurdish authorities in Erbil. Following the meeting, Rudaw learned that June was suggested as a date for the vote.

The Kurdistan Region’s authorities have come under mounting criticism both domestically and internationally, for failing to hold elections on time.

The Kurdistan Region’s parliament had 111 seats, with 11 seats dedicated to the minorities under a quota system. Last week, Iraq’s top court ruled that the seats reserved for ethnic and religious minorities were “unconstitutional”.

Reacting to the verdict, Taylor said that “part of what makes Iraq stronger is really its ethnic and religious diversity.”

“It is critical not only within the IKR, but also within Iraq more broadly, that the rights of all citizens, including minorities, religious, and ethnic minorities are protected, and that includes their electoral rights,” she said.