SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday called on the parties in the Region to come together in “unity and common purposes”, saying voter turnout in Iraq’s election was a “clear message” from citizens for the parties.
In a statement, Barzani said Iraq and the Kurdistan Region had entered a new phase and that all sides should prepare for their collective duties, responsibilities and challenges.
The Independent High Electoral Commission announced initial results of Sunday’s parliamentary election on Monday, with Sadrist movement of Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr winning more than 70 seats.
The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) won 32 seats of the Iraqi parliament during the election, according to the initial results. Barzani is the KDP’s deputy leader.
“Unity, tolerance and partnership among all of us are the keys to success, which ensure the constitutional rights of the Kurdistan Region,” Barzani said.
“All political parties and forces of Kurdistan need to come together in unity and common purpose, and fulfil our joint duty and responsibility,” he added.
“We need to work together for a better present and a promising future for the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. And for this purpose, we must cooperate with the Iraqi sides and parties.”
The Region’s president said it is the duty of all parties in Iraq and Kurdistan to take serious steps towards resolving the problems of the country through “realistic and new understanding and vision, and drawing lessons from past errors”.
Barzani also said the voter turnout was a clear message from Iraqi and Kurdish citizens that they expect “better livelihood and improved public services”.
“This should be a lesson for all of us in the government and the political parties in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, encouraging us for serious reassessments and reestablishment of trust. It should also encourage us to work and serve more,” he continued.
Voter turnout was 41%, a record low in the post-Saddam Hussein era signaling widespread distrust of the country’s leaders and the vote for a new parliament. That’s down from 44% in the 2018 elections, which was an all-time low.
Sunday’s election was held several months early, in response to mass protests in 2019 that toppled a government and showed widespread anger against political leaders whom many Iraqis say have enriched themselves at the expense of the country.
“It is time now to work together and form a patriotic federal government which mirrors the will and expectations of the citizens; a government which implements the constitution, empowers state institutions, assumes control of the extrajudicial armed groups, corrects the political process based on the constitution and partnership of all Iraqi communities, and takes charge of the country towards a better future for everyone,” Barzani said.
