KDP leader Barzani prioritizes constitution in final campaign push

EBRIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani rallied supporters on Tuesday, the final day of campaigning, affirming the party’s commitment to the Kurdistan Region and pledging to prioritize enacting a constitution in the next government.

"It is a great pride, that the Kurdistan [Region] has reached a stage today, that the people,”  Barzani said during his speech at Erbil's Franso Hariri Stadium “decide governance through its own will and voice."

Barzani called on the party’s supporters to turn out in the general vote on Sunday and in early voting on Friday. 

"It is the duty of every KDP member, every supporter, every friend, every devoted Kurd, every heroic Peshmerga, every security force member to go to the ballot box.”

KDP “has always been number one,” Barzani said, adding that it will remain so.

In the 2018 parliamentary elections, the KDP won the largest number of seats in the legislature, taking 45 out of 111 spots.

“This election should have been held two years ago, but some parties kept creating obstacles,” Barzani said.

The election has been mired in difficulties, mainly because of tensions between the political parties - particularly differences between the ruling KDP and the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) - exacerbated by interference from Baghdad.

“The first task of the next parliament is writing a constitution,” Barzani said.

Efforts to draft a constitution for the Kurdistan Region have faced significant obstacles since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, with Kurdish political parties struggling to reach a consensus despite the Iraqi constitution's provision allowing for a regional constitution. 

A draft was submitted to the Kurdistan Region's parliament in 2009 but was never enacted due to disagreements over specific articles. The region continues to utilize existing laws and relies on the Iraqi constitution for various legal matters.

Candidates in the Kurdistan Region's parliamentary elections raised concerns on Rudaw's Chwar Bazna (Four Constituencies) program on Monday about the stalled efforts to enact a regional constitution, citing it as a key barrier to governance. They blamed political instability, party influence, and a lack of collective will for the impasse.

“The KDP’s relations with most of the Arabic parties whether Shiite or Sunni in Iraq is good,” Barzani said, adding that there is an understanding between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the federal government to resolve issues.

Barzani visited Baghdad in July for the first time in six years where he was received by a number of senior Iraqi officials including Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani. His visit was meant to further bolster Erbil-Baghdad relations after years of thorny ties. 

“The KDP is a means to serve Kurds and Kurdistan,” Barzani said at the rally in Erbil, urging KDP supporters and members to focus on safeguarding democracy, improving public services, and fostering unity. He also highlighted the need to develop education and healthcare sectors, while providing more opportunities for youth.

Barzani launched the KDP’s election campaign in Erbil on September 25. He called for unity, saying that efforts must be made so that after October 20, there will be "one region, one parliament, one government, and  one Peshmerga force."