Kurdistan parliament says no MPs have officially resigned as they were protested

SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdistan Region Parliament on Sunday revealed that no member of the chamber has officially resigned except for the ones of Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) as in November series of uproars arose within different factions, announcing resignation after the 5^th parliamentary term had been extended.

Presidency Board of the Kurdistan Region Parliament in a statement said no MPs have officially submitted their resignation except for the KIU faction.

Back then, in October the Parliament passed a bill by the majority, extending the 5^th parliamentary term and postponing the general elections.

Parliamentary elections are held every four years in the Kurdistan Region.

The extension of the 5th parliamentary term came as the Region had supposed to hold elections on October, 1 this year. But it has been postponed to December 2023.

Many factions expressed dissatisfaction against October’s decision, particularly those who labeled themselves “opposition”.

Among those factions who protested were KIU, the Kurdistan Justice Group, the New Generation Movement, and part of the Gorran (Change) movement.

All of them, including part of the Gorran movement, announced their resignation, calling the extension of the 5^th parliamentary term “illegal”.

They also called the Kurdistan Region parliament “illegitimate” from, November, 6 as it was presumably finished the legal term.

However, apart from KIU, no factions have submitted official resignations, according to the Parliament’s presidency.