KDP, Sunni leaders call snap Iraqi elections ‘good step’

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The leaders of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Sunni Sovereignty Alliance on Thursday called the idea of a snap parliamentary election in Iraq a “good step” towards ending the political impasse that has plagued Iraq since the October 2021 elections.

KDP President Masoud Barzani received Khamis al-Khanjar, head of the Sovereignty Alliance, in Erbil on Thursday, exchanging views regarding the political climate in Iraq, especially after calls from their former ally in the Save the Homeland Alliance, Muqtada al-Sadr, for the dissolution of the parliament and the holding of a new snap parliamentary election.

“In regards to the Council of Representatives snap election, both sides agreed that the snap election would be a good step, provided that all parties abide by its results,” read a statement from Barzani’s office following the meeting.

Barzani and Khanjar also stressed that any new initiative must be aimed towards resolving the outstanding issues in Iraq and bringing an end to the political crisis, according to the statement.

The KDP, the Sovereignty Alliance, and the Sadrist Movement were in a tripartite alliance that tried to form a national majority government, considering that they were the winning Kurdish, Sunni, and Shiite blocs of the Iraqi parliamentary elections respectively. The alliance was dissolved following the resignation of the Sadrist Movement MPs in June.

Iraq is currently experiencing an alarming state of political unrest and instability, with repeated calls for nationwide protests, and a demand for the dissolution of the parliament by Sadrist supporters. The current legislature has failed to form a government 10 months following October’s snap elections.