"I, as a resident of Sulaimani, when I go to Erbil and see there are services, want to bring the same services that are in Erbil to Sulaimani,” said Naska Saaid Khidr, taking part in Rudaw TV’s 10 Questions programme.
The parliament should be given oversight on government projects in Sulaimani in order to expose why the province is trailing behind Erbil in terms of services “when 43 percent of Kurdistan Region’s income goes to Sulaimani,” she said.
Sulaimani province has a population of just over 2 million, some 35 percent of the Region’s total, according to figures from Kurdistan Region’s Statistics Office.
"We want Sulaimani, in all the different sectors and aspects, to meet the expectations of Sulaimani's people, especially us KDP supporters,” said Khidr.
"If the people of Sulaimani this time vote for the KDP, make it the top force in Sulaimani and experience KDP's authority, then KDP's program will be known,” she promised voters, adding that Sulaimani shouldn’t “complain” about the KDP not delivering services to the province if people don’t vote for it.
KDP candidate Naska Saaid Khidr speaks on Rudaw TV’s 10 Questions programme. Photo: Rudaw TV
The KDP is the strongest party in the Kurdistan Region today – it secured the most seats among Kurdish parties in Iraq’s parliamentary election in May and it dominates the outgoing government where it had 38 seats in the parliament and held the posts of prime minister and now-suspended president.
Only 12 percent of their votes in the 2013 Kurdistan parliament election came from Sulaimani, however.
Gorran and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) dominate the Sulaimani political scene.
Khidr insisted that the KDP isn’t an “alien” party in the province, “but the rulers of Sulaimani don't allow the KDP to undertake projects here."
She estimated that the KDP will increase its seats in the parliament, to between 40 and 45.
KDP candidate Naska Saaid Khidr speaks on Rudaw TV’s 10 Questions programme. Photo: Rudaw TV
Khidr also appealed to young voters, saying the future of the Region lies in their hands.
"Without discrimination between male and female youth, I will work for the youth, and I have my own program because the youth and the next generation can build this country,” she said.
"Our slogan is 'Building a Strong Kurdistan,' and it will be at the hands of the youth."
Some 63 percent of Kurdistan Region’s population is under the age of 30, according to a recent demographic survey conducted by the government’s statistics office and UN agencies.
