Kurdistan’s New Parliament to convene after election results certification
Shafaq News/ The Kurdistan Region is set to holdthe inaugural session of its newly elected parliament following thecertification of the election results by Iraq’s Independent High ElectoralCommission on November 24.
Under the Kurdistan Parliament’s bylaws, thefirst session must take place within ten days of the certification, chaired bythe eldest member. Article 3 of the internal regulations outlines this process,ensuring that the initial meeting is held promptly to kickstart parliamentaryactivities.
Session Framework
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani isresponsible for calling the first session. If the session is not convenedwithin the stipulated time frame, it will automatically be held on the eleventhday at 12:00 p.m.
During the session, the eldest member presidesover proceedings, including the election of the parliamentary leadership.According to Article 14 of the bylaws, this leadership is chosen by an absolutemajority of members.
The session begins with nominations for leadershippositions, followed by a vote conducted alphabetically in Kurdish. Ballots arecast into separate boxes for each position.
In cases of a tie, the vote is repeated. If thetie persists, a lottery determines the winner. If a candidate runs unopposed,the eldest member declares their victory. Once results are finalized, the newlyelected leadership assumes their roles immediately.
Analysts' Views
Political analyst Nazdar Aladdin told ShafaqNews that the certification represents a critical step in the democraticprocess. “The elections were peaceful, and forming the government is thenatural next phase. Delays would not benefit any party,” Aladdin remarked. Sheadded, “The upcoming stages are likely to proceed smoothly, with most winning partiesparticipating in government formation.”
In turn, political researcher Hawzhin Omar said,“The eldest member presiding over the open session creates a platform fordialogue among the winning blocs and those aiming to shape the government’stenth cabinet,” Omar said. He underscored the dual legal and politicalimportance of the session, noting that it sets the tone for negotiationsbetween parties.
Election Results Overview
The sixth parliamentary elections took place onOctober 20, 2024, across four provinces: Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, andHalabja. The final results were announced on October 30.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) emerged asthe largest party, securing 39 seats out of 100 with 809,197 votes. ThePatriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) followed with 23 seats from 408,141votes.
Other results included:
- New Generation Movement: 15 seats
- Kurdistan Islamic Union: 7 seats
- Halwest Movement: 4 seats
- Kurdistan Justice Group: 3 seats
- People's Front: 2 seats
- Change Movement (Gorran): 1 seat
- Kurdistan Regional Alliance: 1 seat
- Component Quota: 5 seats
With the parliamentary leadership elections onthe horizon, political factions are expected to intensify negotiations to form anew government.
