SULAIMANI (ESTA) — The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) on Monday welcomed a decision by Iraq’s federal court to approve final results of the October parliamentary election.
Earlier, the Iraqi Supreme Federal Court approved the final results of the parliamentary election announced by the electoral commission on Nov. 30 and rejected a motion to annul the results.
“We welcome the federal court’s decision to approve the final results of the early elections of the Council of Representatives held throughout Iraq on October 10,” PUK spokesman Amin Baba Sheikh said in a statement.
“It’s time for all parties in our country to begin politics’ efforts to hold the first session of the Council of Representatives and the entities and political powers should start the constitutional measures to form a new government,” he added.
The PUK spokesman further said the parties should begin “discussion and consult with a spirit of national enthusiasm to protect Iraq’s political process, which has many challenges ahead to protect its democratic process”.
Regarding Kurdish parties, the PUK spokesman said the parties should strengthen their “ranks with unity to achieve the national entitlements and to defend the constitutional rights of our people in Baghdad”.
The federal court’s ruling allows the newly elected parliament to convene at last, and sets the stage for intensified negotiations to form a new government.
Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a foe of both Iranian and U.S. influence in Iraq, emerged as the biggest winner, with 73 of parliament’s 329 seats. The Tehran-aligned bloc, which includes powerful armed groups, saw their representation slump to just 17 seats from 48 in 2018.
Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Iran-backed Shia political coalition al-Fateh, issued a statement pledging to abide by the court ruling. Asaib Ahl Al Haq, an armed group that is part of the Fateh coalition, expressed disappointment at the ruling, without saying if it would seek to challenge it.
Under Iraq’s constitution, President Barham Salih should now call the new parliament into session within 15 days.
Since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled minority Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein, Iraqi governments have been dominated by parties from the Shia majority, in coalitions that have included Kurdish parties.
