The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) has warned that interference in election outcomes in Iraq will not be tolerated. Party officials emphasized that tampering with results, particularly regarding quotas, crosses a critical boundary.
In a statement released late Tuesday, the KDP said it is hearing reports of efforts to manipulate election outcomes. The party highlighted that any changes to results announced by the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) will trigger a serious political response. The KDP stressed that interference in election outcomes undermines Iraq’s democratic process and trust in the system.
Iraq held parliamentary elections on November 11, with the IHEC announcing final results on Monday. Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development Coalition (RDC) won 46 seats in the 329-member legislature. Despite earning the second-highest vote count, with over 1.1 million votes, the KDP secured only 27 seats. This outcome has raised concerns within the party.
Ahead of the elections, the KDP criticized the electoral law, describing it as unfair. President Masoud Barzani argued that seat allocation varies widely between provinces, noting that an Erbil seat requires 40,000 votes, while some southern provinces need only 2,000 votes. He stressed the law must be amended to ensure fair representation in future elections.
The KDP also called on representatives to coordinate with other blocs to review and amend the election law after the vote. Officials explained that the proportional representation system, using the Sainte-Lague method, divides votes by a fixed quotient to assign parliamentary seats. The law has divided Iraq into 18 constituencies, limiting competition in some areas while giving uneven weight to voter turnout.
KDP leaders argued that ensuring fair elections requires safeguarding all provinces from attempts to manipulate results. They warned that altering quotas or outcomes would harm Iraq’s democratic credibility. The party underlined that interference in election outcomes is unacceptable and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, urging all authorities to respect the process.
The KDP’s statement signals the party’s determination to protect Kurdish representation and maintain confidence in Iraq’s electoral framework. Observers note that fair vote counting and adherence to law will remain key issues for the next parliamentary term.
