Kurdistan Democratic Party Leads Parliamentary Elections

The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has emerged as the frontrunner in the recent parliamentary elections in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region, securing over 809,000 votes compared to the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) with around 408,000 votes and the New Generation party with about 291,000 votes. The elections, held on October 20, saw a voter turnout of 72%, an increase from the 59% in the previous election in 2018. However, the results are preliminary and pending the resolution of complaints regarding the voting process, with allegations of fraud being raised by some political factions. Economic challenges, exacerbated by halted oil exports, have heightened public dissatisfaction with the political elite. The elections were originally scheduled for 2022 but faced delays due to disagreements between the KDP and PUK. The final results and the allocation of the 100 parliamentary seats will be confirmed after addressing all grievances.