Saladin Kurds: single electoral district will not affect our electoral chances

Shafaq News / The Kurdish component in Saladin governorate confirmed that the adoption of a single electoral district in the election law passed by parliament will not affect their chances in the electoral competition. They also ruled out the possibility of running in the elections as a unified list.

Hasan Mohammed Ahmed, Deputy Head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan's office in Saladin, told Shafaq News Agency that "the adoption of a single electoral district in the election law passed by parliament will not affect our chances and opportunities in the electoral competition."

He also ruled out the possibility of the Kurds running in the elections as a unified list due to previous experiences that did not yield positive results.

Ahmed clarified, "the Kurds will strive to run in the elections with individual candidates and in alliance with other lists to preserve the Kurdish votes concentrated in the Tuz Khurmatu district, which exceed 30,000 votes."

Regarding coordination with the Kurdistan Democratic Party on the elections in Salah al-Din, Ahmed confirmed that "there are no agreements or coordination so far."

On the other hand, the head of the local committee of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in Tuz Khurmatu, Bakhtiar Hijran Mohammed, supported what was stated by the National Union member and said that "the determination of electoral districts, whether single or multiple, will not affect us, and we seek to participate in the elections with individual candidates."

Mohammed conditioned running in the elections with individual candidates on coordination and understanding between the Kurdish parties in Saladin. In the event that this does not happen, the Kurdistan Democratic Party will ally with other lists, whether Arab or Turkmen.

He confirmed, "the file of the elections has not been subjected to discussions and negotiations with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan in Tuz Khurmatu due to the events of October 16, 2017, and the problems that it left between the two parties."

The Kurds face problems in the upcoming elections, the most prominent of which are the displaced people from the events of October 16, 2017, and ensuring that the elections proceed without pressure or attempts to dominate by other forces.