Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami receives US Consulate General's Political Unit Chief Spencer Fields

Kurdistan Parliament Deputy Speaker Dr. Hemin Hawrami on 10 April 2022 received Mr. Spencer Fields, the Political Unit Chief at the US Consulate General in Erbil. They discussed the need to make legislative preparations for the next Kurdistan Parliament election.

Deputy Speaker Hawrami and Mr. Fields discussed the latest political developments in Kurdistan Region, particularly parties' disagreements over the reactivation of the Kurdistan High Electoral Commission, which is needed for the next Kurdistan Parliament election to be held on time.

Deputy Speaker Hawrami said that it is important for democracy to hold the Kurdistan Region election on time, which is scheduled for 1 October 2022, and for this Parliament to fulfill its legal duty to sit and decide on renewing the electoral commission’s mandate, which expired in December 2021.

The Deputy Speaker said that preparing to hold the election has both political and legal aspects, and preparing the legal aspect of the election is Parliament’s responsibility.

At the same time the parties should continue discussions to reach a political agreement on preparations for the election, he said. 

In addition, Parliament’s parties have asked for sittings to be held to discuss several reports that committees and MPs have written on different issues and sectors. Parliament sittings have not taken place due to the disagreement about the Kurdistan election commission and the Kurdistan Election Law.

Dr. Hawrami stressed the importance of protecting the rights of Kurdistan Region's ethnic and religious communities in the electoral process, as safeguarding their rights is vital to maintain Kurdistan's peaceful coexistence between all its components.