Kurdish political parties are preparing for an intense contest in the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11, 2025. Over 300 Kurdish candidates will compete for 46 seats in Baghdad’s 329-member legislature.
According to recent data, 301 Kurdish contenders are among the 7,768 candidates approved nationwide. The Kurdistan Region’s four provinces together hold 46 seats, with 12 reserved for women to ensure fair representation.
Erbil Province
In Erbil, 108 candidates are running for 16 seats, including one Christian quota and four for women. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), led by Masoud Barzani, and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), chaired by Bafel Talabani, are each fielding 30 candidates. They are followed by Helwest with 12, New Generation with 8, and smaller parties such as the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) and Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG) each presenting four candidates.
Duhok Province
In Duhok, 58 candidates are competing for 12 seats, including one Christian quota and three for women. The KDP leads the race with 22 nominees, followed by the PUK, New Generation, and the Kurdistan Social Democratic Party (KSDP), each fielding five.
Sulaimani and Halabja Provinces
Together, Sulaimani and Halabja have 135 candidates vying for 18 seats, five of which are reserved for women. Both the PUK and KDP are fielding 36 candidates each, while Helwest, New Generation, and the People’s Front — led by Lahur Sheikh Jangi — are also active participants.
Nationwide, the KDP is running 176 candidates, focusing on its strongholds in Erbil and Duhok. Meanwhile, the PUK has 183 candidates across Iraq, maintaining influence in Sulaimani and Kirkuk.
The Independent High Electoral Commission reported that 21.4 million voters have biometric cards, including over 3 million in the Kurdistan Region.