Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, the head of the IraqiElectoral Commission, Judge Omar Ahmed Mohammed, announced the start of thecampaign for the Kurdistan parliamentary elections, set to begin on Wednesdayand run for 20 days.
Speaking at a press conference in Baghdad, JudgeMohammed confirmed that the campaign will take place from September 25 toOctober 15.
“1,190 candidates have registered to run in theKurdistan elections, representing 136 electoral lists.” He explained.
In June 2024, President Nechirvan Barzani issueda regional decree scheduling October 20, 2024, as the official date for theKurdistan parliamentary elections.
The vote will see the election of 100 lawmakers,representing the governorates of Iraqi Kurdistan: Erbil (34 seats, includingone for Christians and one for Turkmen), Halabja (three seats), Al-Sulaymaniyah(38 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), and Duhok (25seats, including one for Christians).
Earlier today, the Coalition of Networks andNational Organizations for Election Monitoring revealed the existence ofpre-campaign activities in the Kurdistan Region, particularly on social media,ahead of the officially designated campaign period.
The coalition urged political parties,candidates, media outlets, and social media platforms to be cautious aboutelection promotion and the media discourse from competing parties ahead of theupcoming sixth parliamentary elections.
Observers and citizens have noticed that manycandidates have already started their promotional campaigns, particularly inthe media and on social media platforms, sharing their numbers or the lotteryresults of their parties. This trend has been accompanied by an increase in provocativeand alarming statements.
The coalition emphasized that “such actions posea threat to the electoral process before the official campaign has even begun,negatively affecting voter sentiment and potentially inciting conflicts amongsupporters of competing parties once the campaigns launch. This could underminepublic peace and create a pretext for postponing elections, severelydeteriorating the political landscape.”
Furthermore, they urged the commission to takestrict action against any violations of electoral campaign rules by parties andcandidates to ensure a fair and transparent election process. They stressed theimportance of upholding the law, respecting the desires of voters in theRegion, and creating suitable conditions for expanding voter participation inthe upcoming elections.