Kurdistan Parliament Session Faces Boycott Amid Dispute Over Legality

Kurdistan 05:39 PM - 2026-11-03

Kurdistan parliament building.

Political disagreements continue in the Kurdistan Region over the resumption of parliamentary sessions, as political parties remain divided over the next stage of the political process. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) is seeking to convene a parliamentary session tomorrow, but several other political blocs and factions have rejected the move and announced their intention to boycott it, questioning the legality of the procedures for calling the session.

Amid the ongoing dispute, Ardalan Mohammed, Chief of the Office of the Kurdistan Parliament, announced that his office had received signatures from only 43 MPs requesting a session, falling short of the 51 required to establish a legal quorum.

During a press conference, the KDP parliamentary bloc called for a session to be held tomorrow. The announcement coincided with the circulation of a document allegedly issued by the Parliament’s Office, formally calling for the session.

However, Ardalan Mohammed denied any knowledge of such an announcement. In a statement, he clarified that his office had not issued an invitation to convene and reiterated that the required number of signatures to meet the quorum had not been received.

PUK: We Will Not Attend Tomorrow’s Session

Azad Mohammed Amin, a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) parliamentary bloc, announced that the bloc would not attend tomorrow’s session.

He stressed that the resumption of parliamentary proceedings requires dialogue and mutual understanding among all political parties to reach a shared agreement. No single party, he said, has the authority to decide unilaterally on the resumption of parliament’s work.

Kurdistan Justice Group: We Will Not Be Part of a Parli­ament in Deadlock

The Kurdistan Justice Group, through its spokesperson Mohammed Hakim, said it did not support holding a session to reactivate the Kurdistan Parliament, describing the institution as flawed and paralysed.

Hakim reiterated the party’s firm position, stating that it would not participate in a parliament which, in its view, had been formed through the manipulation of the electorate’s genuine will.

The Halwest Movement Announces Boycott

Meanwhile, the Halwest (Position) Movement announced that it would boycott tomorrow’s parliamentary session, which is intended to elect the parliament’s presiding board.

The movement said it had chosen from the outset to operate as an opposition force, arguing that electing a parliamentary leadership affiliated with one or two ruling parties would undermine its role as an opposition. It also pointed out that these same parties would later be responsible for selecting the President of the Kurdistan Region and the Prime Minister.

Islamic Union: No Official Invitation Received

The head of the Kurdistan Islamic Union parliamentary bloc also said that the group had received no official invitation from the Parliament’s Presidency to attend tomorrow’s session.

He explained that the bloc had only learned about the proposed meeting through media reports and public statements, rather than through official channels.

Senior Member Refuses to Chair the Session

In a separate development, Mohammed Sulaiman, the senior member of the Kurdistan Parliament who would act as speaker, announced that he would not preside over tomorrow’s session, adding another obstacle to efforts to convene the meeting.

Independent MP Hero Ata also declared that she would not attend, describing the procedures for calling the session as unlawful. She said she had not received an official invitation from the Parliament’s Presidency, arguing that any session not formally called by the Presidency would be illegal.

Only 43 of the Required 51 Signatures Collected

One of the main points of contention is the legal quorum required to convene a session of the 100-member Kurdistan Parliament. Under the half-plus-one principle, at least 51 MPs must support the request.

However, only 43 signatures have reportedly been collected so far. These include signatures from members of the KDP parliamentary bloc and several Christian and Turkmen MPs, leaving the request eight signatures short of the required threshold.


PUKMEDIA