President Barzani urges focus on constitution after Iraq elections
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday said that Iraq’s next government must make a “serious effort” to implement the country’s Constitution, stressing that its neglect has been the source of many ongoing disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.
“That constitution has not been implemented. Indeed, the most important thing to be done after these elections is to make a serious effort to implement the Iraqi Constitution,” Barzani said during a press conference following his vote.
Polling stations opened at 7 am and will close at 6 pm on Tuesday, with more than 21 million Iraqis eligible to vote.
Leaders from Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have long accused Baghdad of violating constitutional provisions that guarantee the Kurdistan Region’s autonomy - a message that has dominated their recent electoral campaigns.
President Barzani was among the first Iraqi and Kurdish officials to cast his ballot early Tuesday morning, as polling stations opened across Iraq for the parliamentary elections.
“Every election is significant. Every election is important,” he said. “The importance of these elections for the Kurdistan Region is that we believe a new beginning has started in Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region must be very strong in Baghdad.”
Barzani urged Iraqis, including Kurds, to participate in the elections. “Our message is that the entire Iraqi people, including Kurdistan, together, we should all take part in the elections because we believe that they are important elections.”
He said that the current elections differ from previous ones due to Iraq’s relative improvements in security and the economy, expressing hope that Iraqis “will have better lives” and receive better services after the vote.
“I believe this is one of the most important elections held in Iraq so far, after 2005 and other stages in Iraq. We hope that these elections are a new start for Iraq - a democratic federal Iraq where all components get their rights and achievements,” Barzani said.
Addressing the post-election period, Barzani said that once the results are finalized, talks will begin to form both Iraq’s federal government and the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
“With the Patriotic Union [of Kurdistan, PUK] and other parties too, right after the elections finish, we will see how the new stage begins, and of course, we will begin a new round of discussion to form the Kurdistan Regional Government,” he said.
The Kurdistan Region held its long-delayed parliamentary elections in October 2024, with the ruling KDP winning 39 out of 100 seats and the PUK securing 23. The two parties, however, have been unable to form a new cabinet.
Ties between Erbil and Baghdad have been strained over unresolved disputes, particularly on budget and salary issues. Public employees in the Kurdistan Region have not received their September and October salaries, while their federal counterparts have been paid.
Kurdish officials accuse Baghdad of withholding funds for political reasons, while federal authorities blame Erbil for failing to meet its financial obligations.
The salary delay persists despite years of dialogue and the resumption of the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports in late September after more than two years of suspension - a development viewed as a breakthrough in Erbil-Baghdad relations.
In total, 31 alliances, 38 political parties, 23 independent candidates, and 56 quota candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minority groups.
Early voting took place on Sunday, with more than 1.3 million security personnel and over 26,000 displaced persons casting their ballots at 4,501 designated stations nationwide.
“That constitution has not been implemented. Indeed, the most important thing to be done after these elections is to make a serious effort to implement the Iraqi Constitution,” Barzani said during a press conference following his vote.
Polling stations opened at 7 am and will close at 6 pm on Tuesday, with more than 21 million Iraqis eligible to vote.
Leaders from Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have long accused Baghdad of violating constitutional provisions that guarantee the Kurdistan Region’s autonomy - a message that has dominated their recent electoral campaigns.
President Barzani was among the first Iraqi and Kurdish officials to cast his ballot early Tuesday morning, as polling stations opened across Iraq for the parliamentary elections.
“Every election is significant. Every election is important,” he said. “The importance of these elections for the Kurdistan Region is that we believe a new beginning has started in Iraq, and the Kurdistan Region must be very strong in Baghdad.”
Barzani urged Iraqis, including Kurds, to participate in the elections. “Our message is that the entire Iraqi people, including Kurdistan, together, we should all take part in the elections because we believe that they are important elections.”
He said that the current elections differ from previous ones due to Iraq’s relative improvements in security and the economy, expressing hope that Iraqis “will have better lives” and receive better services after the vote.
“I believe this is one of the most important elections held in Iraq so far, after 2005 and other stages in Iraq. We hope that these elections are a new start for Iraq - a democratic federal Iraq where all components get their rights and achievements,” Barzani said.
Addressing the post-election period, Barzani said that once the results are finalized, talks will begin to form both Iraq’s federal government and the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).
“With the Patriotic Union [of Kurdistan, PUK] and other parties too, right after the elections finish, we will see how the new stage begins, and of course, we will begin a new round of discussion to form the Kurdistan Regional Government,” he said.
The Kurdistan Region held its long-delayed parliamentary elections in October 2024, with the ruling KDP winning 39 out of 100 seats and the PUK securing 23. The two parties, however, have been unable to form a new cabinet.
Ties between Erbil and Baghdad have been strained over unresolved disputes, particularly on budget and salary issues. Public employees in the Kurdistan Region have not received their September and October salaries, while their federal counterparts have been paid.
Kurdish officials accuse Baghdad of withholding funds for political reasons, while federal authorities blame Erbil for failing to meet its financial obligations.
The salary delay persists despite years of dialogue and the resumption of the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports in late September after more than two years of suspension - a development viewed as a breakthrough in Erbil-Baghdad relations.
In total, 31 alliances, 38 political parties, 23 independent candidates, and 56 quota candidates are competing for 329 parliamentary seats, including nine reserved for minority groups.
Early voting took place on Sunday, with more than 1.3 million security personnel and over 26,000 displaced persons casting their ballots at 4,501 designated stations nationwide.