Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Thursday set February 25, 2024 as the date for the Region's parliamentary election. The vote has been postponed twice due to political tensions.
The decree was welcomed by the United States Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski, stating that “free, fair, and timely elections are essential for any healthy democracy.”
The US State Department last week called on Kurdistan Region’s political parties to “fulfil their obligations” and hold the delayed parliamentary elections.
.@USEmbBaghdad& @USCGErbil welcome @IKRPresident Nechirvan Barzani’s announcement that IKP elections will be held February 25, 2024. Free, fair, and timely elections are essential for any healthy democracy.
— Ambassador Alina L. Romanowski (@USAmbIraq) August 4, 2023
The US State Department on Friday welcomed the announcement by President Barzani on Twitter, stating that “Regular, free, and fair elections confer legitimacy to governments and give citizens a voice in who is chosen to represent them in government and a stake in how they are governed.”
The German and Canadian consulates in Erbil, as well as the Italian Embassy in Baghdad also sent out messages welcoming the presidential decree, urging for fair and inclusive elections.
“The right to vote is the backbone of democracy & and invaluable occasion for the Kurdish people to express their voice,” said the Italian embassy.
We very much welcome that @IKRPresident has set the date for parliamentary elections in #KRI. We encourage all parties to particpate constructively and make sure that the elections are held on time in a free, fair and inclusive manner.
— German Consulate Erbil (@GermanyInKRI) August 4, 2023
Rodolphe Richard, France’s deputy consul general to Erbil, referred to the setting of the elections’ date as a “key step,” and stressed the importance of cooperation between all relevant authorities and political parties to ensure that the process is on par with international standards.
Outgoing European Union Ambassador to Iraq Ville Varjola said that he held a meeting with President Barzani on Thursday as part of his farewell trip, and announced his support of the President’s decree.
Varjola called on the Kurdish parties to work together to make the upcoming elections a success.
Yesterday, during my farewell trip to KRI, I had an excellent meeting with HE KRI President Nechirvan Barzani. I welcomed the setting of the date for KRI elections for 25 February 2024. All parties should now co-operate to make them a success. pic.twitter.com/VuowtSG8mG
— Ville Varjola 🇪🇺 🇮🇶 (@EUAmbIraq) August 4, 2023
UK Consul General in Erbil Rosy Cave on Thursday welcomed President Barzani's setting of the date, reiterating her country’s call for free and fair elections “without further delay” and encouraging the parties of the Kurdistan to participate constructively.
“This is an important opportunity for the people of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to engage in the democratic process and exercise their right to vote," she added.
A new parliamentary vote was set to be held in October 2022, but disagreements between the Kurdish political parties, especially the ruling ones, over the existing elections law and the electoral commission prevented the process from being conducted on its scheduled time and pushed the legislature to extend its four-year term for an additional year.
The Kurdistan Region Presidency set November 18 as the new date for the polls, but the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court in May deemed the self-extension of the Kurdish parliament “unconstitutional” and dissolved the legislature.
With Kurdish lawmakers having failed to reactivate the regional electoral commission before the self-extension and all decisions from the Kurdish parliament thereafter declared null by the Supreme Court, Iraq’s federal electoral body was tasked with carrying out the poll. The Iraqi commission said that they will not be able to hold the elections later this year as the body is preparing for provincial council elections, suggesting the Kurdish polls be conducted on February 18, 2024.
UPDATED AT 04:07PM
