ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Canada’s ambassador to Iraq on Thursday expressed delight over the date set for the long overdue Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections, stating that her country is confident that the Region will carry out free and fair elections.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Wednesday set Oct. 20 as the date for the Region’s general polls - a process which has been repeatedly delayed.
“Canada and many of our partners were delighted that a date has been set for the next elections,” Canada’s Ambassador to Baghdad Kathy Bunka told Rudaw.
“We have full confidence that the authorities have the democratic spirit and all the experience required to pull off free and fair elections,” she added.
Bunka said that they have not been approached by Kurdish officials for support in the crucial vote, however she stated that Canada will be “tracking the progress” and ready to “hear any requests for support or observations for the October 20th elections.”
Interference from Baghdad has fueled tensions between the Kurdistan Region’s parties - particularly differences between the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
A major ruling by Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court in February labeled the 11 quota seats in the Kurdistan Region’s parliament reserved for ethnic and religious minorities as “unconstitutional,” striking down their legitimacy and rendering chances of minorities to obtain representation almost impossible. The lawsuit that led to the ruling was filed by the PUK and a Sulaimani-based Christian party.
But the KDP lashed out in response and announced that they would boycott the vote, scheduled for June 10 at the time, expressing concern about multiple factors - foremost of which was the minority quota being taken by Baghdad. Several Christian and Turkmen parties joined the boycott.
However, another Baghdad decision last month allocated five seats for minorities across the Kurdistan Region’s provinces - a crucial KDP demand - leading to the end of their boycott and clearing a major obstacle for the vote.
The KDP said on Wednesday that it had kicked off preparations for the elections. KDP leader Masoud Barzani commended the Kurdistan Region Presidency for setting Oct. 20 as the new election date and called on political parties to cooperate "responsibly" in the electoral process.
Payam Sarbast contributed to this report
