The parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq were scheduled for autumn 2022 but were constantly postponed. The last election date was set for 10 June under pressure from Baghdad. Ultimately, it did not materialize though.

"Parliamentary elections will be held on 20 October," said Presidential Spokesperson Dilshad Shahab on Wednesday, reading a decree of the Kurdistan Region President, Nechirvan Barzani.

In February, Iraqi courts ordered the number of seats in the Kurdish parliament to be reduced from 111 to 100, effectively abolishing the quota reserved for Christian and Turkmen minorities.

This decision did not go down well with the KDP, which dominates power in the autonomous Kurdistan region. The KDP announced its boycott of the elections, which led to a new political deadlock.

In a new decision, the judicial authorities returned five seats reserved for minorities among the 100 deputies. The KDP then reversed its decision to boycott the elections and decided to participate.

The KDP’s rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), has repeatedly condemned the postponement of the elections.