ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Christian parties are competing for their lone seat in Duhok province. The protection of the minority rights, inclusiveness, and community unity were some of their key issues ahead of the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections.
James Hassado is hopeful that he will go to the parliament following elections on October 20. He wants to restore trust to the Chaldean and Assyrian Christians in Duhok province.
"Our program is to work on legislation in order to protect our rights. We seek to have our candidates, our party, and our share, whether in governance or within the public and private sectors,” Hassado told Rudaw’s Naif Ramadhan.
However some potential voters conveyed their dissatisfaction with their representation.
"No parliamentary representative has reached out to us, nor has anyone stood by us in moments of joy or sorrow," said Basim Alias, a Christian.
Minority unity for the community is important to another person.
"I have said that before that without unity among us, a single minority [seat] can provide us with nothing," Zuheir Slewah, a Christian in Duhok said.
In the previous 111-seat legislature, 11 were allocated for minorities, but a top federal court decreased the number to five and the total number of seats to 100 earlier this year despite widespread protest.
Erbil and Sulaimani provinces are each reserving one seat for its Christian and Turkmen components, while the Christians have one seat in Duhok.
Official campaigning began on Wednesday and continue until October 15.
A total of 1,191 candidates are vying for the 100-seat Kurdistan parliament, according to IHEC. That number includes 823 men, 368 women, and 38 candidates from minority communities.
Nearly 2.9 million people are eligible to vote, including around 215,000 early voters. There will be 1,400 polling stations, including locations in the disputed areas and most Iraqi provinces, for eligible voters.
Rekar Aziz contributed to this report
