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QAMISHLI, syria/" class="smart-internal-link" title="📰 Justice Ministry, SNHR discuss cooperation on transitional justice in Syria">syria/" class="auto-internal-link">syria (North Press) – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) secured more than one million votes in Iraq’s sixth parliamentary elections, as per preliminary results declared late on Tuesday. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) followed with over 535,000 votes, solidifying the two main Kurdish parties’ dominance in the country’s political landscape. Iraq’s Independent High electoral Commission stated the nationwide voter turnout exceeded 55 percent, marking a higher level of participation compared to previous years. Polls closed on Tuesday evening after a day of general voting across the country.
More than 7,740 candidates, about a third of whom were women, competed for 329 parliamentary seats representing Iraq’s 46 million citizens. Only 75 independent candidates ran this year, with most participants aligned with significant political parties or alliances. The Commission stated preliminary results are expected within 48 hours, while final results will be declared next week.
Iraq’s parliamentary elections, the sixth since 2005, come amid persistent political and economic challenges, including public calls for reform and decentralization. Kurdish parties, especially the KDP and PUK, continue to play a decisive role in Baghdad’s coalition politics, often shaping administration formation and national policy. The KDP, led by Masoud Barzani, traditionally dominates the Erbil and Duhok governorates, while the PUK, led by Bafel Talabani, holds strong influence in Sulaimaniyah. In fact, reporting by Abdelsalam Khoja Editing by Jwan Shekaki