34 Years Since Kurdistan’s First Parliamentary Elections

PUKMEDIA

Voter sheet of the 1992 Kurdistan elections.

Today, 19 May 2026, marks the 34th anniversary of the first parliamentary elections in the Kurdistan Region. Backed by the support and determination of the people of Kurdistan, the Kurdistan Front succeeded in liberating most areas of Iraqi Kurdistan from the oppressive Ba’ath regime.

The historic parliamentary elections, alongside the election of the leadership of the Kurdish liberation movement, were held through a direct and secret ballot on 19 May 1992. Nearly one million voters participated, representing a population of more than three million citizens. The elections were conducted with the assistance of international observers and allies of the Kurdish people. Under the electoral system at the time, political parties were required to secure at least 7% of the vote to gain representation in Parliament.

Driven by a strong desire for freedom and democracy, citizens turned out enthusiastically to cast their votes and elect their representatives after decades of repression and injustice. Members of the Kurdistan National Council – Iraq were elected for the first parliamentary term on 19 May 1992. The Council consisted of 105 members, with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) winning 50 seats, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) also securing 50 seats, and the Christian component obtaining five seats.

The first session of the Kurdistan National Council – Iraq was convened on 4 June 1992, while the first parliamentary term continued until 4 June 2005. Fuad Masum headed the first Kurdistan Regional Government, which officially began its work on 5 July 1992.

The elections for the sixth term of the Kurdistan Parliament were held on 20 October 2024, with members sworn in on 2 December 2024. However, political parties have yet to reach an agreement on the election of a Speaker of Parliament or the formation of a new regional government.

Negotiations between the political parties — particularly between the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party — remain ongoing. Despite the delay, progress has reportedly been made, with both sides continuing efforts to establish a strong and unified government capable of delivering services fairly and equally to all citizens across the Kurdistan Region, a principle consistently emphasised by the PUK.

On this anniversary, the PUK’s continued commitment to free, fair, and transparent elections remains central. The party stresses that all segments of society must enjoy genuine and equal representation in Parliament, free from interference or political domination by any single party.




PUKMEDIA