Reports indicate that the Electoral Commission of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq announced on Wednesday, October 18, that the parliamentary and presidential elections for this autonomous region have been postponed. According to Kurdistan 24 news agency, the Electoral Commission of the Kurdistan Region also stated that a new date for the elections will be announced later. These elections were scheduled to take place on November 1 (Aban 10). The Electoral Commission of the Kurdistan Region also announced that the number of candidates who have registered to participate in these elections has not reached the required level. According to the Associated Press, the news of the postponement of parliamentary and presidential elections in the Kurdistan Region comes as Masoud Barzani, the head of the region's government and the Kurdistan Democratic Party, is not in a good position due to the loss of Kirkuk and other disputed areas. Reports also indicate that the head of the Electoral Commission of the Kurdistan Region stated in an interview on Wednesday that no candidate has registered for the presidential elections of this region so far. He emphasized that due to the proximity of the election date, there was not enough time to prepare for holding these elections. According to the Kurdish television network Rudaw based in Erbil, the Kurdistan Parliament was supposed to discuss the postponement of elections in this region on Wednesday, but this meeting was postponed due to disagreements among Kurdish political groups. Abubakar Heldani, the head of the Islamic Union of Kurdistan faction in the Kurdistan Parliament, stated that this bloc will prevent any parliamentary meeting to discuss the postponement of the elections. He stressed that the Kurdistan Parliament should address important issues such as the loss of Kirkuk and other areas. Heldani stated that the Kurdistan Parliament must examine the unfortunate situation in Kurdistan that led to the loss of a large part of the Kurdish territory, but now the parliament is engaged in marginal and unnecessary issues. Iraqi government forces captured the city of Kirkuk and its oil fields in a swift operation on Monday, October 16. According to Rudaw, Peshmerga forces have retreated from Kirkuk as well as other disputed areas such as Khanqin, Shingal, Gwar, Makhmour, and Senon. In this context, Barzani stated that unilateral and individual decisions were the cause of the events in Kirkuk. Peshmerga forces have retreated from the cities of Sinjar and Khanqin. Trump stated that in the dispute between Iraq and the Kurds, the U.S. does not side with either. Iraqi forces have taken control of Kirkuk.
Parliamentary Elections in Iraqi Kurdistan Postponed
The parliamentary and presidential elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been postponed due to insufficient candidates and internal political disagreements. Masoud Barzani's leadership is under scrutiny following territorial losses, particularly in Kirkuk. This situation highlights ongoing instability in the region and the challenges facing Kurdish political unity.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The parliamentary and presidential elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been postponed due to a lack of registered candidates and internal political disagreements among Kurdish factions. This decision follows recent territorial losses in Kirkuk, raising questions about the leadership of Masoud Barzani.
- Elections were originally scheduled for November 1 but have been postponed indefinitely.
- No candidates have registered for the presidential elections, highlighting political instability.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has a history of seeking autonomy from the Iraqi central government, and recent territorial losses have heightened tensions and political challenges within Kurdish leadership.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%