Kurdistan Presidency ramp up efforts to set date for parliamentary elections
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - As parts of efforts to thaw the ice between Kurdish political parties, notably the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), a delegation from the Presidency of the Kurdistan Region is set to visit the latter in Erbil on Tuesday in order to set a date for the Region's long-delayed parliamentary elections.
The delegation that visited the KDP on Sunday, will be headed by Fawzi Hariri, chief of staff of the Kurdish Presidency, at the request of President Nechirvan Barzani to meet with the PUK and other political parties.
The Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections were supposed to be held last year, but members of the legislature voted in October by a majority to extend the parliament's four-year term by another year, after disagreements between the blocs over the current electoral law and the electoral commission prevented new elections from being carried out.
Rudaw understands that the presidential delegation has already met with the leading officials of the Kurdistan Region Parliament in order to bring closer together the rival sides, in order to set a date for the long-delayed parliamentary elections.
The inability of the Kurdistan Region to hold elections is largely attributed to contentions and ongoing wrangling between the KDP and PUK - who have often found themselves entangled in a clash of words over the elections law, as the Sulaimani-based PUK has said it would support new polls once the electoral law has been amended.
Despite working together in the KRG, the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often being referred to as the “Yellow Zone” and “Green Zone“. The KDP is dominant in Erbil and Duhok provinces, while the PUK rules Sulaimani and Halabja.
“The nonexistence of elections puts into question the entire political process and the constitutionality of the Kurdistan Region,” President Barzani said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany last week. "We are confident that elections will be held this year."
The KRG authorities have come under mounting criticism domestically and on an international level for failing to hold elections.
The rival sides of the Kurdistan Region must act “quickly and pragmatically” towards resolving their differences, as their divisions have “adverse effects” on the people and institutions of the Kurdistan Region, Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said while briefing the United Nations Security Council on the latest developments in the situation concerning Iraq earlier this month.
The delegation that visited the KDP on Sunday, will be headed by Fawzi Hariri, chief of staff of the Kurdish Presidency, at the request of President Nechirvan Barzani to meet with the PUK and other political parties.
The Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections were supposed to be held last year, but members of the legislature voted in October by a majority to extend the parliament's four-year term by another year, after disagreements between the blocs over the current electoral law and the electoral commission prevented new elections from being carried out.
Rudaw understands that the presidential delegation has already met with the leading officials of the Kurdistan Region Parliament in order to bring closer together the rival sides, in order to set a date for the long-delayed parliamentary elections.
The inability of the Kurdistan Region to hold elections is largely attributed to contentions and ongoing wrangling between the KDP and PUK - who have often found themselves entangled in a clash of words over the elections law, as the Sulaimani-based PUK has said it would support new polls once the electoral law has been amended.
Despite working together in the KRG, the two parties have established control over different parts of the Region, often being referred to as the “Yellow Zone” and “Green Zone“. The KDP is dominant in Erbil and Duhok provinces, while the PUK rules Sulaimani and Halabja.
“The nonexistence of elections puts into question the entire political process and the constitutionality of the Kurdistan Region,” President Barzani said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany last week. "We are confident that elections will be held this year."
The KRG authorities have come under mounting criticism domestically and on an international level for failing to hold elections.
The rival sides of the Kurdistan Region must act “quickly and pragmatically” towards resolving their differences, as their divisions have “adverse effects” on the people and institutions of the Kurdistan Region, Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said while briefing the United Nations Security Council on the latest developments in the situation concerning Iraq earlier this month.