Journalist Özdemir: AKP-MHP politics was defeated in Kirkuk

2023-12-20 14:24:14


	 

	NEWS CENTER - Journalist Mervan Özdemir, who followed the Provincial General Assembly elections held in Iraq, said about the result in Kirkuk: "The policy of AKP-MHP through the Turkmen Front in Kirkuk has gone bankrupt."

	 

	The results of the Provincial General Assembly elections held in 13 provinces of Iraq and in Kirkuk and Mosul have become clear. Provincial General Assembly elections, which should normally be held every 4 years, have not been held since 2013 due to ISIS attacks, security problems and political instability. 6 million 599 thousand 668 of the 15 million 108 thousand 135 voters who had the right to vote in the elections held for the first time after 10 years went to the polls.

	 

	KURDS WON THE ELECTION AFTER 18 YEARS

	 

	The Iraqi Supreme Electoral Commission announced that the participation rate in the elections was 41 percent. In Kirkuk, which is one of the centers that attracted attention in these elections due to its importance, the election participation rate was 65 percent, exceeding all other cities. The Provincial General Assemblies formed as a result of the elections elect the governors of the provinces. Councils also plan which projects the budgets allocated for investments in the city will be used for and make governors responsible for implementation. Governors, on the other hand, have the right to enact local legislation that does not conflict with the Constitution, in addition to their legislative and supervisory powers.

	 

	KIRKUK

	 

	During the election, the public's eyes and ears were on Kirkuk and Mosul. According to the results announced by the Supreme Election Commission: The "Kirkuk is Our Power and Will" list, established in Kirkuk under the leadership of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), came first with 139 thousand votes. The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which remained outside this alliance, received 46 thousand votes.

	 

	According to the official results announced; In the 16-seat parliament, PUK won 5 seats, Arab Coalition 3 seats, Turkmen Front 2 seats, KDP 2 seats, Arab Qaeda 2 seats, Arab-Urube 1 seat and Christian quota 1 seat.

	 

	MOSUL

	 

	In the elections in Mosul, Kurdish parties that could not form an alliance faced defeat in this province. Sunni Nineveh Coalition received 141 thousand 749 votes, KDP received 127 thousand 938 votes, Sunni National Convention Coalition received 83 thousand 82 votes, Sunni Sovereignty Coalition received 72 thousand 787 votes, and the PUK and Communist Party alliance received 45 thousand 939 votes.

	 

	According to these results, Nineveh Coalition, led by former Governor Necim Ciburi, won 5 seats, KDP 4, and PUK 2 seats.

	 

	SELAHADDIN AND DİYALA

	 

	While PUK won 1 seat in Diyala, one of the disputed regions in the Federated Kurdistan Region, the Hasm Coalition, including the KDP, won 2 seats in Salahddin.

	 

	Journalist Mervan Özdemir, who closely followed the Provincial General Assembly elections, evaluated the atmosphere and results of the election.

	 

	BOYCOTT OF THE SADR MOVEMENT

	 

	Stating that the elections held in the disputed regions of Iraq and the Federated Kurdistan Region were quite calm, Özdemir said: “It was an election that we were waiting for anxiously, but overall it was a calm election. Although there were attacks on election centers with handmade explosives in some places, there was no situation that required the elections to be postponed or stopped. This was quite surprising for Iraq because provocations can be made due to conflicts between parties."

	 

	Özdemir also stated that the rate of people going to the polls in the election was quite higher compared to other elections.

	 

	Stating that participation was higher than in previous elections, Özdemir said: The Sadr Movement, which received the most votes in the elections in Iraq, had a boycott call going into these elections. But despite this, participation in the elections reached 41 percent. If it were not for the boycott calls of the Sadr Movement and other groups, there would have been a much higher turnout in these elections."

	 

	'KURDS WON IN KIRKUK DESPITE KDP'

	 

	Stating that all eyes are especially on Kirkuk and Mosul in these elections, Özdemir said: “We can say that Arab citizens do not show much interest in the elections in other cities of Iraq; however, participation in the elections was quite intense in the disputed regions of Federated Kurdistan, especially Kirkuk and Mosul. Kurds flocked to the polls in great numbers in Selahattin, Diyala, Mosul and Kirkuk. There was intense public pressure for the Kurdish parties to participate in the elections jointly in Kirkuk, but the KDP prevented this. Participation in the elections in Kirkuk was 65 percent. According to the announced results, the Kurds won in Kirkuk despite the KDP. The PUK will get 5 seats from the parliament with 15 plus 1 seat. According to these results, PUK needs 3 votes to elect a Kurdish Governor. The election of a Kurdish governor in Kirkuk is almost certain."

	 

	'AKP-MHP POLITICS WERE DEFEATED IN KIRKUK'

	 

	Stating  that there were different interventions by Turkey, especially in Kirkuk, in the run-up to the elections,Özdemir said: “Turkey was financing the Turkmens here. The Turkmen Front was constantly provoking the society with provocative and racist  discourses. Although the Turkmen Front received almost no votes in this election, they still continue their provocatively racist rhetoric. We saw that the policy of AKP-MHP through the Turkmen Front in Kirkuk was bankrupt. Many Turkmens who were in favor of democracy and common life voted for Kurdish parties. The AKP-MHP's policy was defeated in Kirkuk."

	 

	'A CHANCE WAS GIVEN TO PUK '

	 

	Emphasizing that the Kurds living in Kirkuk were actually against the Kurdish parties, but gave the PUK another chance due to the importance of this election, Özdemir said: “The people were against the KDP and the PUK, but since the situation in Kirkuk was extremely critical, the society once again gave the Kurdish parties a chance. It has given us another chance to develop their national unity and take Kurdistani interests as a basis."

	 

	MA / Ömer Akın