38 24 Date 2017 | 24 18 Location Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq | |
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The next Iraqi Kurdistan legislative election is scheduled to take place in 2017. It will be the fifth legislative election in Iraqi Kurdistan since 1992.
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Background
Following the end of the Gulf War in 1991, a civil war, mainly between the Erbil and Dohuk-based Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Sulaymaniyah-based Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) led to the establishment of two separate Kurdish regional governments. Following the reconciliation and a power-sharing agreement between KDP and PUK, and Parliamentary elections in 2005, a unified Kurdistan Regional Government was created. The joint KDP–PUK faction Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan assumed power and formed a government that was headed by Nechervan Barzani (KDP; 2006–09) and Barham Salih (PUK; 2009–12).
When former PUK official Nawshirwan Mustafa broke away to form the new Movement for Change (Gorran) party, the new party primarily hurt PUK's electoral support in the 2009 parliamentary elections. The KDP–PUK alliance, now renamed Kurdistan List, formed a new government headed by Nechervan Barzani.
Previous election
The 2013 election marked the first time the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) were running on separate lists since 1992. With its traditionally strong backing in Dohuk and Erbil provinces, the KDP managed to expand its plurality, while falling short of an outright majority. PUK suffered from internal conflicts during the absence of its leader Jalal Talabani, who was recovering from a stroke, and from strong competition by the Movement for Change (Gorran), which established itself as the strongest party in Sulaymaniyah, previously a major stronghold of PUK.
Initially, the 2013 legislative election was supposed to be held with a presidential election and with provincial elections. President Massoud Barzani's term was however extended until 2015, and then again until 2017. The provincial elections were delayed until November, and then again to 2014, when they were held in conjunction with the Iraqi parliamentary election.