ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani received congratulatory messages from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Ammar Hakim, a prominent Shiite cleric on holding parliamentary elections on Sunday.
“In light of the successful Kurdistan parliament election, Masrour Barzani, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region received a congratulatory message from Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani,” read a statement from PM Barzani’s media office.
Hakim, the leader of the National Wisdom Movement also “congratulated” Prime Minister Barzani in a phone call on “the success” of the parliamentary elections, according to the Kurdish premier's media office.
The Kurdistan Region held its long-delayed parliamentary elections on Sunday. The vote was rescheduled four times since 2022.
Minutes after the polls closed, Sudani also congratulated the people of the Kurdistan Region in a post on social media platform X.
“Continuing the democratic choice of our people in the various regions of Iraq confirms respect for the value of democracy and belief in the peaceful transfer of power, and the consolidation of the constitutional structure,” wrote Sudani on X.
The vote saw a 72-percent turnout across the Kurdistan Region, according to the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) which administrated the process.
According to unofficial preliminary results, the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and the New Generation have emerged as the three top election winners.
Sunday’s vote came two days after over 208,000 of nearly 216,000 security service members cast their ballots as early voters - a 97 percent voter turnout.
Nearly 2.7 million people were eligible to vote in the general elections.
A total of 1,191 candidates vied for 100 seats up for grabs. Of this number, five seats are reserved for the minorities - three for Christians, and the remaining two for Turkmen.
Preliminary results are expected to be announced by the IHEC on Monday evening.
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