Iraq
President Masoud Barzani (middle), leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), arrives in Duhok for the Middle East Peace and Security (MEPS) Forum, accompanied by Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani (left) and KDP officials. Photo: Kurdistan Regional Government
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - President Masoud Barzani on Tuesday reaffirmed his call for full adherence to the Iraqi Constitution of 2005, including the establishment of an upper house for the Iraqi legislature and the implementation of provisions that address territorial disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.
Speaking at the Middle East Peace and Security (MEPS) Forum in the Kurdistan Region’s northern Duhok province, the leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) described the period following Iraq’s 2025 legislative elections as a “sensitive time.”
He lauded the elections as “technically successful,” praising efforts to facilitate them and insisting that the results “should be the basis for forming the government.”
Iraq held its special and general legislative elections on Sunday, November 9, and Tuesday, November 11.
The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced the final results on Monday, with incumbent Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC) winning 46 of the 329 seats in the legislature. The KDP, despite ranking second in total votes with more than 1.1 million votes, secured only 27 seats, placing fifth after four political blocs.
Iraq uses a proportional representation system based on the Sainte-Laguë method, in which provinces serve as constituencies. Under this system, total party votes are divided by a fixed quotient to allocate parliamentary seats.
President Barzani criticized the current elections law, which has led to significant vote wastage among high-performing parties.
The preeminent Kurdish leader further outlined key constitutional priorities for the new government, including the establishment of the Federal Council.
Mandated by Article 65 of the Constitution, the Federal Council is intended to serve as an upper house representing Iraq’s regions and provinces, including the Kurdistan Region.
The KDP leader stressed that forming the council is essential for realizing Iraq’s constitutional identity as a true federal state. “The Kurds are committed to this Constitution, and we hope the other parties will be committed to it,” he said, also reiterating the “necessity of implementing Article 140 and not neglecting it.”
Article 140 outlines a process to resolve disputes over areas in Kirkuk, Diyala, Nineveh, and Salahaddin provinces that were subject to Arabization policies under the Saddam Hussein-led Baath regime.
The process includes normalization to reverse demographic changes and restore property rights, conducting a transparent census, and holding a referendum to allow residents to decide whether to join the Kurdistan Region or remain under federal administration.
President Barzani also called for finalizing the Oil and Gas Law, which would provide a unified legal framework for Iraq’s primary resource and help resolve ongoing financial and political disputes between Erbil and Baghdad.
On regional security, the Kurdish leader warned that ISIS remains a threat, “looking for an opportunity,” and stressed the need for continued international support, namely from the US-led coalition to defeat ISIS. He further expressed hope that Iraq would “not be a part of the conflicts in the region.”
The American University of Kurdistan (AUK) in Duhok is hosting the sixth edition of the MEPS forum, gathering high-level international and regional figures to address growing challenges under the theme “Managed Chaos: The New Middle East.”
In addition to President Barzani, key attendees include Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, President of Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zidan, senior Shiite cleric and politician Ammar al-Hakim, and prominent Sunni Arab leaders Muthanna al-Samarrai and Khamis al-Khanjar are also participating.
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