The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) refuted media reports suggesting it's being sidelined and "made invisible" in the local elections in Diyala amid delays and lack of returns of its offices and political headquarters.
Shirko Tawfiq, the head of the Organizations Department in the KDP in Diyala (Center 15), told Shafaq News Agency, "We will run in the provincial council elections in Diyala, regardless of the circumstances and reasons, even if our headquarters and political offices do not return to their pre-October 2017 status."
Tawfiq confirmed that "efforts and understandings with the federal government are ongoing for the return of our headquarters to Diyala and the disputed areas, and we will not fall behind in the elections and will not leave the political field to others". He pointed out that the KDP's office in Baghdad oversees and directly follows all political activities and other developments.
Tawfiq stated that whether to run in Diyala's local elections under a unified list or in coalition with other forces is still undecided. He added, "We welcome any alliance with other forces that suits our aspirations, goals, and the interests of the citizens in particular," noting that the party's doors are open to all political forces.
The Kurdish politician revealed positive developments regarding the implementation of Article 140 in the disputed areas, which has been stalled since 2007 due to security conditions and demographic Arabization processes. He added that the committee had seen member replacements and changes to start implementing the provisions of Article 140, including the compensation file in the disputed areas.
Experts attribute the non-return of the KDP's offices to Diyala and the areas covered by Article 140 to political persecution by some political entities, which is considered a form of "terrorism". They confirmed that the delay in the return of the party's offices to Diyala and the disputed areas in several provinces is due to threats and violations suffered by some party members by armed parties and factions after the events of the Kurdistan independence referendum in 2017.
In March, the House of Representatives voted to set November 6 as the date for the provincial council elections. These elections will cover 15 out of 18 provinces, as three provinces fall within the autonomous Kurdistan region.