ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) on Tuesday said it welcomes any effort from the Kurdistan Region’s political forces towards the reactivation of the parliament, stressing the need for an active legislature to safeguard the Region’s interests.

In a statement on Tuesday, the KDP bloc in the Kurdish legislature marked the 34th anniversary of the first Kurdistan parliament elections, calling the historical milestone “one of the most important stages in the establishment of the political, legal, and institutional structure of the Kurdistan Region.”

The bloc described the parliament as a key principle for the will of citizens to become “the source of power and legitimacy,” stressing the need to resume parliamentary sessions which have been halted since late 2024 amid continued disagreements over the formation of the government.

The KDP “welcomes any initiative aimed at reactivating the Kurdistan Parliament, so that this important institution may fulfill its natural and legal role,” the statement read.

The Kurdistan Region held parliamentary elections in October 2024, and the elected lawmakers were sworn in during a session in December. However, efforts to hold subsequent sessions have failed due to not meeting legal quorum.

The KDP and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) emerged as the main parties from the October 2024 elections, gaining 39 and 23 seats respectively. The two parties have unsuccessfully engaged in negotiations over forming the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet since.

The KDP bloc dubbed the reactivation of the parliament a “national, constitutional, and institutional necessity,” asserting that the latest regional circumstances “more than ever requires a functioning parliament to safeguard the supreme interests of the Kurdistan Region.”

The Kurdistan parliament “must be protected and remain permanently active in the service of the Kurdistan Region and its citizens,” the statement concluded.

Earlier in May, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani expressed hope that the formation of the Iraqi government can pave the way for the reactivation of the Kurdistan parliament to proceed with forming the next KRG cabinet.

The KDP has routinely blamed the PUK for making unreasonable demands and hindering the formation of the Kurdistan Region’s next government.