Iraq News Now

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed ShiaAl-Sudani emphasized that the continuation of the democratic option is a gainachieved through sacrifices.

In a press release from the Prime Minister’s media,following the conclusion of the general voting in the Kurdistan RegionalParliament elections, Al-Sudani said, “We congratulate our people in theKurdistan Region of Iraq, the presidency and government of the region, and allpolitical forces and independent candidates, on the completion of the votingprocess for the electoral process for the sixth Kurdistan Regional Parliament.”

“The continuation of the democratic choice of our people invarious regions of Iraq confirms respect for the democracy value and belief inthe peaceful transfer of power, and the consolidation of the constitutionalstructure. This would not have been achieved without the sacrifices made byIraqis for their freedom, dignity, and independence of their decision, to livein a homeland where everyone has equal rights without discrimination, and inall their sects.”

He further expressed his appreciation for the IndependentHigh Electoral Commission's (IHEC) role in ensuring the success of theelectoral process. Al-Sudani concluded by expressing hope that the steps neededto form the new government of the Kurdistan Region will soon be completed, inorder to continue the progress toward development, cooperation, and stability,for the benefit of all people in the region.

Polling stations closed their doors at 6:00 p.m., announcingthe end of voting in the Kurdistan Regional Parliament elections, on time andwithout any extension.

The IHEC told Shafaq News that the voting process generallywent smoothly, but it faced technical challenges in some centers, as “somefingerprint scanners failed to read the biometric data of voters, preventingsome from casting their ballots.”

Vote-counting operations began immediately after the closingof the polls, with the commission announcing preliminary results within 24hours.