Final meeting between President Barzani, Kurdish parties on elections set to September
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdistan Region Presidency will hold its final meeting with political parties in the beginning of September to discuss the Region’s next elections, the presidency announced following a meeting with parties and the United Nations chief in Iraq on Wednesday.
“At the end of the meeting, a decision was made to hold a final meeting in the beginning of September to decide on all the matters concerning election and resolving all issues facing the process,” read the statement from the Kurdistan Region presidency.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday held a meeting with representatives of the political parties in the Kurdistan Region in an aim to discuss the Region’s next elections and resolving outstanding issues ahead of the process.
The meeting was attended by United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Chief Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, however opposition party New Generation did not send a representative to the meeting.
“Until then, the Kurdistan Region Presidency and political parties, with the help of UNAMI’s team of experts will continue talks and preparations,” the statement added.
The Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections are set to occur on October 1, but the process has been hindered by disagreements between the Kurdish political parties over the Region’s current commission and election laws, casting doubt on the likelihood of the vote to be held on time.
Hennis-Plasschaert called for equalizing the Kurdistan Region's electoral playing field ahead of elections scheduled for October 1 during a UN Security Council meeting in May, focusing on solutions that represent the interests of all residents of the Region.
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani held a meeting in Erbil on Thursday, discussing the latest developments in Iraq’s political climate, and hoping to unite Kurdish political forces against the challenges they face in Iraq and the Region.
The PUK and a number of other Kurdish political blocs have claimed that the electoral regulations are outdated and in need of amendment prior to October’s vote, a suggestion opposed by KDP, arguing that amending the laws requires the agreement of all parliamentary blocs.
“At the end of the meeting, a decision was made to hold a final meeting in the beginning of September to decide on all the matters concerning election and resolving all issues facing the process,” read the statement from the Kurdistan Region presidency.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday held a meeting with representatives of the political parties in the Kurdistan Region in an aim to discuss the Region’s next elections and resolving outstanding issues ahead of the process.
The meeting was attended by United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Chief Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, however opposition party New Generation did not send a representative to the meeting.
“Until then, the Kurdistan Region Presidency and political parties, with the help of UNAMI’s team of experts will continue talks and preparations,” the statement added.
The Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections are set to occur on October 1, but the process has been hindered by disagreements between the Kurdish political parties over the Region’s current commission and election laws, casting doubt on the likelihood of the vote to be held on time.
Hennis-Plasschaert called for equalizing the Kurdistan Region's electoral playing field ahead of elections scheduled for October 1 during a UN Security Council meeting in May, focusing on solutions that represent the interests of all residents of the Region.
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) President Masoud Barzani and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani held a meeting in Erbil on Thursday, discussing the latest developments in Iraq’s political climate, and hoping to unite Kurdish political forces against the challenges they face in Iraq and the Region.
The PUK and a number of other Kurdish political blocs have claimed that the electoral regulations are outdated and in need of amendment prior to October’s vote, a suggestion opposed by KDP, arguing that amending the laws requires the agreement of all parliamentary blocs.