Iraqi Kurdistan general election, 2018
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Parliamentary elections took place in Kurdistan Region on 30 September 2018 to elect Parliament. The ruling
Kurdistan Democratic Party The Kurdistan Democratic Party ( ku, Partiya Demokrat a Kurdistanê; پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان), usually abbreviated as KDP or PDK, is the largest party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Gov ...
(KDP) came first in a parliamentary election in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, winning 45 seats, that positioning it to lead the next
regional government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
. A year after a failed bid for independence, Iraq’s Kurds voted last month in a parliamentary election. Announcement of the results was delayed for three weeks. The KDP’s historic rival and junior coalition partner in government, the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK; ku, یەکێتیی نیشتمانیی کوردستان, translit=Yekîtiya Nîştimanî ya Kurdistanê) is a political party active in Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories in Iraq. The PUK describe ...
(PUK), was in second place with 21 seats. The results suggest that
Masoud Barzani Masoud Barzani ( ku, ,مه‌سعوود بارزانی, translit=Mesûd Barzanî}; born 16 August 1946) is a Kurdish politician who has been leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) since 1979, and was President of the Kurdistan Region o ...
’s KDP will take a dominant position in Kurdish politics.


Background

Following the end of the Gulf War in 1991, a civil war, mainly between the
Erbil Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000. Hu ...
and Dohuk-based
Kurdistan Democratic Party The Kurdistan Democratic Party ( ku, Partiya Demokrat a Kurdistanê; پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان), usually abbreviated as KDP or PDK, is the largest party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Gov ...
(KDP) and the Sulaymaniyah-based
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK; ku, یەکێتیی نیشتمانیی کوردستان, translit=Yekîtiya Nîştimanî ya Kurdistanê) is a political party active in Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories in Iraq. The PUK describe ...
(PUK) led to the establishment of two separate Kurdish regional governments. Following the reconciliation and a power-sharing agreement between KDP and PUK, and Parliamentary elections in 2005, a unified Kurdistan Regional Government was created. The joint KDP–PUK faction Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan assumed power and formed a government that was headed by Nechervan Barzani (KDP; 2006–09) and Barham Salih (PUK; 2009–12). When former PUK official Nawshirwan Mustafa broke away to form the new
Movement for Change Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
(Gorran) party, the new party primarily hurt PUK's electoral support in the 2009 parliamentary elections. The KDP–PUK alliance, now renamed
Kurdistan List The Kurdistan List ( ku, ليست كوردستان Lîstî Kurdistani), also known as the Kurdistan Alliance or the Brotherhood List, is the name of the electoral coalition that ran in the Kurdistan Regional Government parliamentary elections in ...
, formed a new government headed by Nechervan Barzani. Presidential elections were due to coincide with
parliamentary elections A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
in 2013. However, in the months leading to the elections the parliament extended
Massoud Barzani Masoud Barzani ( ku, ,مه‌سعوود بارزانی, translit=Mesûd Barzanî}; born 16 August 1946) is a Kurdish politician who has been leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) since 1979, and was President of the Kurdistan Region of ...
’s term for another two years. When the parliamentary elections were held, the
Kurdistan Democratic Party The Kurdistan Democratic Party ( ku, Partiya Demokrat a Kurdistanê; پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان), usually abbreviated as KDP or PDK, is the largest party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Gov ...
(KDP) and the
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK; ku, یەکێتیی نیشتمانیی کوردستان, translit=Yekîtiya Nîştimanî ya Kurdistanê) is a political party active in Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories in Iraq. The PUK describe ...
(PUK) ran on separate lists for the first time since 1992. With its traditionally strong backing in Dohuk and
Erbil Erbil, also called Hawler (, ar, أربيل, Arbīl; syr, ܐܲܪܒܹܝܠ, Arbel), is the capital and most populated city in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It lies in the Erbil Governorate. It has an estimated population of around 1,600,000. Hu ...
provinces, the KDP managed to expand its plurality, while falling short of an outright majority. PUK suffered from internal conflicts during the absence of its leader Jalal Talabani, who was recovering from a stroke, and from strong competition by the
Movement for Change Movement may refer to: Common uses * Movement (clockwork), the internal mechanism of a timepiece * Motion, commonly referred to as movement Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * "Movement" (short story), a short story by Nancy Fu ...
(Gorran), which established itself as the strongest party in Sulaymaniyah, previously a major stronghold of PUK. The provincial elections were delayed until November, and then again to
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, when they were held in conjunction with the Iraqi parliamentary election. In 2015, as Barzani's term was due to expire, debates continued as to whether it should be extended further, with supporters citing the Kurdish fight against ISIS and the need for stability in the Kurdish regional government. Others have expressed concern that a continued extension of Barzani's term could lead to a President for Life scenario. Both Kurdish politicians and observers in the area worry that the polarizing debate over the presidency will destabilize Kurdish democracy and weaken the region in its fight against the Islamic State. In July 2016, Barzani announced that he would not seek another term as president. The
Kurdistan Region Parliament The Parliament of Kurdistan ( ku, پەرلەمانی كوردستان ,Perlemanê Kurdistanê or simply Perleman, ar, برلمان كردستان, links=https://www.parliament.krd/arabic/), also called the Kurdish Parliament (IKP), is the parl ...
on 24 October 2017 announced that the elections for the presidency and the parliament had been delayed by eight months. The decision was made after the electoral commission stated that the political parties had failed to register their candidates amidst the regional crisis.


Parties participating in election

21 parties registered for Kurdistan's parliamentary elections:http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/280920173 #
Coalition for Democracy and Justice The Coalition for Democracy and Justice ( ku, ھاوپەیمانی بۆ دیموکراسی و دادپەروەری, Hevpeymana Demokrasî û Dadwerîyê) is a Kurdish political party in Iraq, founded by Barham Salih. In September 2017, Salih annou ...
( Barham Salih) #
Kurdistan Democratic Party The Kurdistan Democratic Party ( ku, Partiya Demokrat a Kurdistanê; پارتی دیموکراتی کوردستان), usually abbreviated as KDP or PDK, is the largest party in Iraqi Kurdistan and the senior partner in the Kurdistan Regional Gov ...
(KDP) # Turkmen Development Party #
Turkmen Democratic Movement The Turkmen Democratic Movement ( tr, Türkmen Demokratik Hareketi) is a political party in Iraq that is headed by Kalkhi Najmaddin Noureddin. It acts as an alternative to the more heavily funded Iraqi Turkmen Front. The party was created by ex-Fron ...
in Kurdistan # Change Movement (Gorran) # Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) #
Assyrian Democratic Movement The Assyrian Democratic Movement ( syr, ܙܘܥܐ ܕܝܡܘܩܪܛܝܐ ܐܬܘܪܝܐ, Zawʻá Demoqraṭáyá ʼÁṯuráyá, ar, الحركة الديمقراطية الآشورية, ADM), popularly known as Zowaa (), is an Assyrian political party ...
(Zowaa) # Bet-Nahrain Democratic Party #
Individual Armenian Political Entity An individual is that which exists as a distinct entity. Individuality (or self-hood) is the state or quality of being an individual; particularly (in the case of humans) of being a person unique from other people and possessing one's own ne ...
(
Aram Birzo Hamo Aram may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Aram'' (film), 2002 French action drama * Aram, a fictional character in Japanese manga series ''MeruPuri'' * Aram Quartet, an Italian music group * ''Aram'' (Kural book), the first of the three ...
) #
Individual Armenian Political Entity An individual is that which exists as a distinct entity. Individuality (or self-hood) is the state or quality of being an individual; particularly (in the case of humans) of being a person unique from other people and possessing one's own ne ...
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Obar Sipan Gharib Ab Bar or Abbar ( fa, آب بر, also Romanized as Āb Bar; also known as Obar and Ubār) is a city in and capital of Tarom County Tarom County ( fa, شهرستان طارم) is located in Zanjan province, Iran. The capital of the county is ...
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Turkmen Reform Party Turkmen, Türkmen, Turkoman, or Turkman may refer to: Peoples Historical ethnonym * Turkoman (ethnonym), ethnonym used for the Oghuz Turks during the Middle Ages Ethnic groups * Turkmen in Anatolia and the Levant (Seljuk and Ottoman-Turkish desc ...
# Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal) #
Patriotic Union of Kurdistan The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK; ku, یەکێتیی نیشتمانیی کوردستان, translit=Yekîtiya Nîştimanî ya Kurdistanê) is a political party active in Kurdistan Region and the disputed territories in Iraq. The PUK describe ...
(PUK) #
Yezidi Democratic Party Yazidis or Yezidis (; ku, ئێزیدی, translit=Êzidî) are a Kurmanji-speaking endogamous minority group who are indigenous to Kurdistan, a geographical region in Western Asia that includes parts of Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran. T ...
#
Kurdistan Toilers' Party Kurdistan Toilers' Party ( ku, Parti Zahmatkeshan Kurdistan) founded according to the party in 1985, is a splinter from the Kurdistan Socialist Party, and later a member of the Iraqi Kurdistan Front. Led by Khalid Zangana, now it is led by Qad ...
#
Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party Kurdistan Socialist Democratic Party ( ku, Parti Sosyalisti Demokrati Kurdistan; ar-at, الحزب الاشتراكي الديمقراطي الكردستاني, Hizb al-Ishtiraki al-Dimuqrati al-Kurdistani) is a political party in Kurdistan Regio ...
#
Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council The Chaldean Syriac Assyrian Popular Council (CSAPC, syr, ܡܘܬܒܐ ܥܡܡܝܐ ܟܠܕܝܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܐ ܐܬܘܪܝܐ ', ar, المجلس الشعبي الكلداني السرياني الآشوري '), popularly known as Motwa, is a political ...
#
Communist Party of Kurdistan – Iraq The Communist Party of Kurdistan – Iraq ( ku-2, حزبي شيوعى كوردستان – عيراق, ar, الحزب الشيوعي الكوردستاني – العراق) is a Kurdish political party, formed in 1993 when the Iraqi Communist Par ...
#
New Generation Movement The New Generation Movement or Naway Nwe ( ku, Culanewey Newey Nwê / ku, label=none, جوڵانه‌وه‌ی نه‌وه‌ی نوێ, ar, حراك الجيل الجديد) is an Iraqi Kurdish political party formed to contest the 2018 genera ...
#
Conservative Party of Kurdistan Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizatio ...
# Toilers Party of Kurdistan


Electoral system


Notable participating entities


Results


References

{{Iraqi Kurdistan 2018 elections in Iraq
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