The ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) emerged as the leading party in Iraq's Kurdistan Region elections, securing 39 seats, Iraq's election commission announced on Wednesday.

This win positions the KDP, led by Masoud Barzani, to lead the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), though allegations of electoral manipulation overshadowed the results.

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), a long-time rival and junior partner in the coalition, won the second-largest share with 23 seats, the commission revealed in a press conference. Voter turnout reportedly reached 72 percent. Out of the 100-seat parliament, five seats are allocated to minority groups, while the rest were contested among Kurdish parties.

The KDP and PUK, who have shared power since the region's semi-autonomy in 1991, are expected to continue governing together. Analysts caution that unresolved tensions between the two major parties could complicate government formation. The New Generation Movement, the largest opposition party, finished third with 15 seats, underscoring the stronghold maintained by the KDP and PUK in the region.

Initially set for 2022, the elections faced delays due to KDP-PUK disputes. Iraq's Federal Supreme Court dissolved the Kurdish parliament in May 2023, ordering fresh elections and intensifying political tensions. Now, allegations of fraud from opposition parties accusing the KDP, PUK, and New Generation Movement of tampering have heightened scrutiny over the election outcome.

Fraud allegations and boycott threats

The Kurdistan Justice Group (KJG), Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU), People's Front, and National Stance Movement have all rejected the preliminary results, claiming the vote was manipulated to favour the three leading parties. The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), which supervised the elections, dismissed these claims and set a three-day window for political entities and candidates to challenge the official results.

Opposition leaders suggested that electronic interference may have impacted vote counts. Omar Gulpi, head of the KJG's electoral list in Sulaimaniyah, claimed to The New Arab last week that "wide-scale voter fraud has been conducted via a special electronic program." The four opposition parties recently announced plans to boycott parliamentary sessions, though they may reconsider, as not swearing in could result in their seats being reassigned to other parties.

One central complaint involves the alleged nullification of over 210,000 votes, which opposition leaders claim were predominantly in their favour. Ali Hama Saleh of the National Stance Movement expressed scepticism, pointing out that "the results do not reflect the level of dissatisfaction among voters" and questioned the KDP and PUK's sudden vote surge given their governance record.

The opposition intends to file formal taunts with IHEC and may bring the case to Iraq's Federal Supreme Court. However, Saleh expressed doubts about the effectiveness of legal action, noting that any court resolution would likely take considerable time.

As the election dispute unfolds, the KDP and PUK are positioned to continue their power-sharing arrangement. However, internal friction and ongoing allegations cast uncertainty over the new government's formation and stability in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.