ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The electoral bodies of the Kurdistan Region’s ruling parties said in a joint statement on Tuesday that they have reached an initial agreement to resolve the “majority” of their differences regarding the upcoming elections in the Region. Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) held a meeting at the level of electoral bodies in Erbil on Tuesday, with both parties announcing in a joint statement that they reached a “mutual understanding” on “majority” of points related to how the upcoming elections should be held. “As a result of talks and exchange of views between both sides, [we] reached a mutual understanding regarding the majority of points related to the amendment of the electoral law and the reactivation of the Independent High Elections and Referendum Commission,” read the statement. “In order to reach a final agreement, it was decided that both sides will meet again in the coming days for the same purpose,” it added, noting that both governing parties will consult other political parties as well. Rudaw understands that both parties have agreed on the method of the election as well as coordinating with Iraq’s electoral commission to benefit from their voter list of the Kurdistan Region. This comes as the Kurdistan Region Presidency has ramped up efforts to bring all parties closer and set a date for the 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. The KRG authorities have come under mounting criticism domestically and on an international level for failing to hold elections.
