Oil-rich Iraqi Kurdistan votes, shadowed by economic struggles
Hamid Mohamed with Shwan Mohammed in Sulaimaniyah
Sun 20 October 2024
Iraqi Kurdistan presents itself as an oasis of Middle East stability but activists and opposition figures say it faces issues that also confront Iraq as a whole (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE) (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP/AFP)
Iraq's Kurdistan voted on Sunday to elect a new parliament for the autonomous oil-rich region, where voters expressed concern over economic struggles and disenchantment with the political elite.
Iraqi Kurdistan presents itself as a relative oasis of stability in the turbulent Middle East, attracting foreign investors due to its close ties with the United States and Europe.
However, activists and opposition figures contend that the region, autonomous since 1991, faces the same issues affecting Iraq as a whole: corruption, political repression and cronyism among those in power.
Originally scheduled for two years ago, the vote was postponed four times due to disputes between the region's two historic parties, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK).
Each party is controlled by a powerful Kurdish family -- the KDP by the Barzanis and the PUK by the Talabanis.
Despite holding election rallies and mobilising their patronage networks, experts say there is widespread public disillusionment with the parties, exacerbated by the region's bleak economic conditions.
Polls closed at 6:00 PM (1500 GMT) and official results were expected 24 hours later.
Huri Mohammed, a 66-year-old housewife, said she voted for the KDP which dominates the regional capital Arbil, as it "serves the people".
But she expressed hope the next government would "pay attention to the poor classes. The majority of our population has limited means".
Opposition parties such as New Generation and a movement led by Lahur Sheikh Jangi, a dissident from the Talabani clan, may gain from a protest vote, said Sarteep Jawhar, a PUK dissident and political commentator.
Hiwa Hadi, a candidate for the newly formed opposition Halwest party, said after voting in Arbil: "People are dissatisfied and angry due to rising prices and taxes, electricity and water shortages".
- Tensions with Baghdad -
Political analyst Shivan Fazil, a PhD student at the US-based Boston University, noted that there was "a growing fatigue with the region's two ruling parties".
Fazil, who focuses on Iraq, said people's living conditions "have deteriorated over the last decade".
Salaries for the region's 1.2 million civil servants are "a vital source of income for households" but payment of the money has been erratic, Fazil said.
This issue is tied to ongoing tensions between Kurdistan and the federal Iraqi government in Baghdad, amid disputes over control of the region's lucrative oil exports.
The creation of four new constituencies for this election -- a change from only one previously -- "could lead to redistribution in vote shares and seats in the next parliament", Fazil said.
He still predicted, however, that the KDP could maintain its power.
The KDP is the largest party in the outgoing parliament, with 45 seats against 21 for the PUK. The KDP's majority was assured by an alliance with deputies elected via a quota reserved for Turkmen, Armenian and Christian minorities.
Iraqi court rulings have reduced the number of seats in the Kurdish parliament from 111 to 100, but with five seats still reserved for the minorities.
Of the region's six million inhabitants, 2.9 million were eligible to vote for the 100 representatives, including 30 women mandated by a quota.
Once voted in, the new representatives will need to elect a new president and prime minister. The roles are currently filled by KDP figures Nechirvan Barzani and his cousin, Masrour Barzani.
In Baghdad on Sunday evening, Iraqi President Mohammed Shia al-Sudani called the vote a "success" and expressed hope for development and "stability" under a new regional government.
Mohamed al-Hassan, the United Nations special representative in Iraq, welcomed the election as an opportunity for the Kurdistan region to "reinvigorate democracy and inject new ideas into its institutions".
But 55-year-old teacher Sazan Saduala said she was boycotting the election.
"This government cannot be changed by voting," she said. "It maintains its power through force and money."
bur-cbg-tgg/ysm/dcp/it/ami
Kurdish people in Irbil vote in long awaited Parliamentary elections
Updated Sun 20 October 2024
The primary competitors are the two dominant Kurdish parties: the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). Historically, these two parties have controlled different parts of the region, with the KDP overseeing Irbil and Dohuk, and the PUK governing Sulaymaniyah. (AP video shot by Rashid Yahya)
Iraq's Kurdish region goes to the polls with a flagging economy and political infighting top of mind
STELLA MARTANY
Updated Sun 20 October 2024
A man registers to vote during parliamentary elections of Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region, in Irbil, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Salar Salim)
IRBIL, Iraq (AP) — Residents of Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region went to the polls in long-awaited parliamentary elections Sunday under the shadow of ongoing rivalries, economic instability and unresolved disputes with Baghdad.
The primary competitors are the two dominant Kurdish parties: the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. The two have historically controlled different parts of the region, with the KDP overseeing the regional capital, Irbil, and Dohuk and the PUK governing Sulaymaniyah.
This division has frequently led to political deadlock. The parliamentary elections, originally set for 2022, were postponed several times amid disputes over the election law and procedures.
Ministry of Interior personnel and peshmerga forces — the regional military — voted in special elections Friday, with the general public voting Sunday.
In Friday’s special election, the KDP secured a significant lead, capturing 60% of the votes, while the PUK got around 30%. The New Generation Movement, an opposition party that has seen a gradual rise in support, garnered 5.3% of the total, up from 3% in the 2018 special election. In that special election, the KDP garnered 40% of the vote and the PUK 28.5%.
While New Generation’s appeal continues to grow, particularly among younger voters frustrated with the traditional political system, it still faces significant challenges in competing with the well-established dominance of the KDP and PUK.
Results of Sunday's vote were expected to be announced Monday.
At some polling centers, there were delays due to malfunctions in fingerprint scanners used for biometric verification of voters’ identities. In some cases, it was unclear if voters whose fingerprints could not be scanned would be able to vote at all.
At a center in Irbil's Ankawa district, resident Raman Ramzi said his wife and mother hadn't been able to vote due to fingerprint and ID recognition issues caused by the biometric machines. A number of other would-be voters left the station without casting a vote due to the same issue.
At another polling station in Irbil, coordinator Sirwan Gardi said that three to four percent of prospective voters' fingerprints were not being recognized by the devices, particularly older people and women.
Rizgar Maghdid, whose fingerprint was not recognized, said he felt sad because he could not vote. Voting “is an essential right of humans,” he said. “I would like to vote for the person who would serve us and our country.”
Regional government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, a KDP official, called on voters to “reward service and truthfulness and punish the parties that are playing with the rights and destiny of the people of Kurdistan," using the region's local name.
The region’s economic struggles are voters’ primary concern. Despite its oil wealth, the Kurdish region faces significant economic issues, including delayed payment of salaries to civil servants, fluctuating oil prices, and budget cuts from Baghdad. The public is deeply dissatisfied with the economy and lack of opportunities, and many blame political leaders for mismanagement.
“People want to have electricity and get paid their salary on time, and to have more jobs. This is all they want," said Ghazi Najib, who went to the polls in Irbil.
Corruption is also among the central issues in the election. For years, the regional government has faced allegations of nepotism and lack of transparency. Many voters, particularly among the younger generation, are calling for reforms to address these concerns.
Many voters, however, have lost hope for reforms and are also skeptical of opposition parties’ ability to make changes, given the longstanding hold the two major parties have over the political landscape.
Political cooperation with the central government is another key electoral issue. Relations between Irbil and Baghdad have remained tense since a 2017 referendum over independence for the Kurdish region, particularly over issues of oil revenue sharing and budget allocations.
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani in a recent visit to Irbil said, “We are committed to ensuring the rights of the Kurdish people, but this must be done within Iraq’s constitution.”
In certain areas, the current elections are significantly influenced by security concerns since Islamic State group sleeper cells are still active in areas that are disputed between the regional and central governments.
“We hope that Kurdistan will be more developed, and to see more safety and reconstruction in Kurdistan,” said Jamila Mohammed Amin, a voter in Irbil. “All political parties and entities should work together and achieve these goals and protect it against enemies.”
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Associated Press journalist Salar Salim in Irbil contributed to this report.
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