Kurdistan Region’s parties hold final rallies before election silence

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - President Masoud Barzani on Friday said Iraq’s electoral law is “unjust” and pledged to work for reforms, as the Kurdistan Region’s major parties held their final rallies before the official end to the campaign period on Saturday.

Speaking at a rally in Erbil, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader said his party decided to participate in the election despite concerns that the outcome had been prearranged.

“We know that there will not be changes to the seats in the election this time too because the seats have been designated beforehand,” he said.

Barzani said that their decision to run came after encouragement from “friends and fellow strugglers” in Iraq and abroad.

“We received very positive messages from many of our friends and fellow strugglers in Baghdad that this election may… pave the way so that we can return the political process in Iraq to its right path,” he said.

He said the KDP would work with other political forces who believe “Iraq needs fundamental reform,” and vowed to push for changes to the current electoral law.

Iraqis will go to the polls on November 11 to elect a new parliament. The state-affiliated Communications and Media Commission (CMC) on Thursday instructed all media outlets to comply with an electoral silence taking effect on Saturday, a day before special voting.

In Sulaimani, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani told supporters that his party’s campaign was focused on service and reform.

“Anyone who lives in this country, we will serve them. That is the difference between us and them,” he said, urging voters to “turn the boxes green” and send his party to Baghdad. Green is the PUK’s signature colour.

Talabani said the PUK is becoming younger and more inclusive, and promised to empower youth and women.

“The youth have not been listened to… The door has been opened to them and they are being listened to and seen. From Baghdad, we will strengthen Kurdistan's economy, and that is our agenda and our goal,” Talabani said.

Women should “not sit at home and let men make decisions for them, because that time is finished,” he added.

Shaswar Abdulwahid, leader of the New Generation Movement (Naway Nwe), addressed supporters in Sulaimani through a message recorded behind bars.

“From this prison, I want to relay my last speech to you… Your success, the success of the people, and the collapse and fall of this authority is very, very close,” he said.

“They think that by imprisoning me they can prevent and delay their collapse… The only real replacement for this authority… is Naway Nwe,” he said.

Also in Sulaimani, Salahaddin Bahaaddin, the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) secretary-general, said the election is taking place amid shifting regional dynamics and called on Kurdish voters to support competent and honest candidates.

“It is unfortunate that in the past, a large part of those representatives who were elected to the Iraqi Council of Representatives and went to Baghdad were not competent and took the place of competent people. To correct this course… citizens need to be aware and vote for tested candidates,” he said.

The KIU is the largest Islamic party in the Kurdistan Region. Bahaaddin said that his party’s candidates “are not going to Baghdad for money and positions.”

According to the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), around 21.4 million Iraqis have renewed their biometric cards that are necessary in order to vote.

A total of 31 alliances, 38 parties, and 23 independent candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minority groups. More than 7,700 candidates are registered to run.