International Community Welcomes the Elections' Success & Pushes for New Government

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Kurdistan Parliamentary Elections

The successful elections for the sixth term of the Kurdistan Parliament, held on Sunday, 20 October 2024, received international approval, with calls to accelerate the formation of the new cabinet in the Kurdistan Region.

United States:

In this context, Vedant Patel, the Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, responded to a question regarding the elections in the Kurdistan Region by stating: "Promoting democratic values is a key priority for the U.S. Government as it fosters global stability and it strengthens alliances. These are things that we think are integral to what our interests are in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and beyond. We certainly applaud the role that civil society and the media had in this election in fostering political dialogue and amplifying the voices of Iraqi Kurdistan Region residents ahead of the election."

"What we saw is high voter turnout and an election that proceeded without major security incidents. We saw some reporting of some logistical challenges at various polling stations, but overall from our viewpoint, the process went forward fairly orderly," he added, "We are strongly urging political parties to engage in a prompt and sustained dialogue to swiftly form a stable and representative government without delay. We think that is the next appropriate step."

Patel concluded by urging Kurdish leaders to find a way to move beyond their differences and establish a government. He stated that there is more that unites the leaders of Iraqi Kurdistan than divides them, emphasising that it is in the people's interest to progress with an inclusive process and form a government as swiftly as possible.

For her part, US Ambassador Alina Romanowski congratulated the people of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and all political forces on the successful conclusion of the regional parliamentary elections.

She noted that the US Mission staff in Iraq monitored the electoral process at various polling stations in the region on 18 and 20 October and commended the people of the Kurdistan Region for their commitment to democracy. Romanowski mentioned that the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) acknowledged facing challenges with the fingerprint verification process during the elections and urged the IHEC to address this issue before the Iraqi parliamentary elections in 2025.

Additionally, she called on political parties and civil society to support a peaceful transition of power and the formation of a government free from outside influence. Romanowski emphasised the importance of respecting the crucial role of the media and civil society in the democratic process. She highlighted that establishing a new government would enable the Kurdistan Region to strengthen its democratic institutions, promote human rights, support economic development, and enhance the Kurdistan Region's role as part of a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq.

United Kingdom:

The British Consulate General in the Kurdistan Region welcomed the recent elections for the Kurdistan Parliament.

In a statement, the British Consulate noted that the high voter turnout serves as a strong message of support for the renewal of democratic legitimacy. They expressed their anticipation for the resumption of parliamentary sessions and the prompt formation of the regional government.

France:

The French Embassy also welcomed the recent elections in Kurdistan, with French Ambassador to Iraq, Patrick Durel, stating on the X platform that the French Embassy applauds the holding of legislative elections in the Kurdistan Region on 20 October. 

Ambassador Durel expressed satisfaction with the high voter turnout, emphasising that this election represents a significant political step for both the region and Iraq as a whole.

Japan:

Japan's Ambassador to Iraq, Futoshi Matsumoto, congratulated the successful parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region. In a post on the X platform, he expressed his congratulations on the successful sixth parliamentary elections held on 20 October. 

Ambassador Matsumoto also expressed his hope that the election results will help strengthen democracy in the region and facilitate the formation of a new government, leading to greater stability and economic development in the Kurdistan Region and beyond.

The European Union:

The EU expressed its satisfaction with the recent elections for the Kurdistan Parliament. The EU Mission issued a statement welcoming the parliamentary elections held on 20 October in the Kurdistan Region, noting that these elections had been delayed for over two years, which led the EU to strongly advocate for their occurrence.

The EU emphasised that the elections are crucial for citizens to express their political will and valued its strong relationship with the Kurdistan Region and called on all political actors to work towards forming a new government for the Kurdistan Region, emphasising the importance of unity and stability for both the region and Iraq as a whole.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan:

In turn, Fuad al-Majali, the Consul General of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in the Kurdistan Region, congratulated the recent elections for the Kurdistan Parliament. In a post on the X platform, he expressed his congratulations to the leadership and people of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq on the electoral process, wishing the region continued stability, prosperity, and progress.

The elections for the sixth term of the Kurdistan Parliament took place on Sunday, 20 October 2024, with 2,087,972 voters participating out of 2,899,578 eligible voters, resulting in a participation rate of 72%.

On Monday, the Iraqi IHEC announced the preliminary results, indicating that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party secured the majority of the 95 seats in the Kurdistan Parliament (with 5 seats allocated to the Turkmen and Christian communities). Additionally, six other lists also gained seats in the parliament.



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