Peregraf
A total of 516 candidates are competing in the upcoming October 20 parliamentary elections in the Sulaymaniyah constituency. Out of these, 507 are vying for 36 general seats, with 420 representing political parties, 55 running under coalition banners, and 32 standing as independents.
In addition, 9 candidates are contesting two seats reserved for minority communities, including 6 Turkmen and 3 Christians.
The Sulaymaniyah constituency has over 1 million eligible voters, with 1,008,412 general voters and 78,661 special voters.
Across the Kurdistan Region, nearly 2.9 million voters are expected to participate in the election, which will determine the allocation of 100 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament. A minimum of 30 seats will be reserved for women, while five seats are set aside for minority groups, including three for Christians and two for Turkmen.Initially planned for October 2022, the elections faced delays due to internal conflicts, particularly between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) regarding the distribution of community seats. This discord resulted in the dissolution of the Kurdistan Parliament by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court, leaving the region without a legislative assembly and consolidating authority within the executive branch.
The elections will take place across four constituencies. The five seats allocated for minority communities will be distributed among three provinces: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok. The Christian community will receive three seats—one in each of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok—while the Turkmen community will be allotted two seats, one in Erbil and one in Sulaymaniyah.
The distribution of parliamentary seats by province is as follows:
- Erbil: 34 seats (including two for minorities).
- Sulaymaniyah : 38 seats (including two for minorities).
- Duhok: 25 seats (including one for minorities).
- Halabja: 3 seats.
This election represents the fifth postponement, with previous dates set for October 2022, June 2023, and October 2023, all of which were not adhered to. Since the inaugural elections in 1992, no parliamentary election in the Kurdistan Region has occurred within the legally stipulated timeframe.