Gorran’s general council votes to boycott Iraqi parliament

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Gorran's General Council has voted to boycott the Iraqi parliament, taking the party one step towards withdrawing from the Iraqi political process in protest of fraud in the recent elections.

"Today Gorran's General Council voted to boycott the Iraqi parliament after discussing the results," council member Kanan Ismael told Rudaw. 

The proposal passed with a majority of votes. 

"They will send the decision of the General Council to Gorran's National Assembly for a final decision,” he added. 

The National Assembly is scheduled to meet on Saturday. 

Gorran is one of six parties who have said they are considering a boycott of Baghdad after widespread voter fraud in the May 12 election. The other five parties are Komal, Coalition for Democracy and Justice (CDJ), Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), Kurdistan Islamic Movement (IKM), and the Kurdistan Communist Party. 

Delegations from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) have been in Baghdad this week holding a string of meetings with Arab parties and foreign diplomats about forming the next Iraqi government. The leader of the New Generation is also in Baghdad. 

In the May 12 election, KDP won 25 seats, PUK 18, Gorran five, New Generation four, Komal two, CDJ two, and KIU two. 

Updated at 9:05 pm