“The Secretary-General congratulates the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and its people on the holding of parliamentary elections,” the UNSG’s office said in a statement released by deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq.
Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) oversaw the Region’s elections on Sunday, reporting a 72 percent voter turnout with more than two million people casting ballots.
The statement said Guterres “commends the efforts” of the IHEC “supported by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), in the preparations and conduct of these elections.” UNAMI provided technical assistance to the IHEC.
The electoral body announced results from Baghdad on Monday with over 99 percent of polling centers reporting.
The statement from the UNSG urged the formation of “an inclusive government as soon as possible” and reiterated the UN’s support “to consolidate democratic gains and build a prosperous future for the people of Iraq.”
While parties resolve election disputes with the electoral commision, the statement encouraged “all political leaders and segments of society to continue to maintain a peaceful atmosphere…”
With the election date originally scheduled for October 2022, the repeatedly-delayed elections were postponed four times due to political wrangling between the ruling parties and disagreements between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Baghdad.
The Kurdistan Region’s ruling parties will secure over 60 seats in the upcoming regional parliament, Rudaw has projected.
Out of the 100 seats in the upcoming parliament, the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is expected to secure 39, the highest number of seats, followed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), with 23 seats.
A total of 1,191 candidates competed for seats in the legislature, downsized from 111 seats following a major Iraqi federal court ruling in February.
