Speaking at an electoral conference in Duhok, Barzani, also Vice President of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), underscored the vote’s importance for the Kurdistan Region, calling it an opportunity to demand full implementation of constitutional rights.

“Ongoing disputes over salaries, oil, and financial entitlements between Baghdad and Erbil persist because the constitution has not been properly enforced.”

Barzani argued that the KDP is best positioned to lead the next stage, pointing to its political experience, large support base, and role in defending Kurdish rights within Iraq’s federal system, Shafaq News reported.

Iraq’s elections will be held under Law No. 4 of 2023, which amended the 2018 electoral law and restructured representation so that each of the 18 provinces—excluding Halabja—serves as a single district with seats allocated using the Sainte-Laguë 1.7 formula.

The national parliament holds 329 seats, including nine reserved for minorities: Christians, Yazidis, Shabaks, Sabean-Mandaeans, and Fayli Kurds. 

In 2021, the KDP won 31 seats in Baghdad, up from 25 in 2018, solidifying its role as the most influential Kurdish party in federal politics.

The party is also the largest in Kurdistan, securing 809,197 votes and 39 seats in the 100-seat Kurdish parliament.