Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq welcomes UNSG Special Representative Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert

Kurdistan Parliament Speaker Dr. Rewaz Faiq on 30 October 2022 welcomed the Special Representative of UN Secretary General for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. They discussed the next Kurdistan Parliament election and Parliament's current legislative programme.

Speaker Faiq and Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert exchanged views on the challenges to holding the next Kurdistan Parliament election. Speaker Faiq said, “The adverse situation and political instability in Iraq arising from political parties’ disagreements, and the delay in forming the new Iraqi cabinet, were significant factors that have held up the election. At the same time the issues of updating the electoral register, amending the Election Law and reactivating the mandate of the Electoral Commission have been some of the challenges and differences between Kurdistan’s political parties.”

Dr. Faiq emphasized that by law, the legal, technical and administrative preparations for holding the election must be completed and the election must be held before the end of this Parliamentary term’s extension, which is 31 December 2023.

The Parliament Speaker gave Ms. Hennis-Plasschaert an overview of Parliament’s recent sittings and the work on the Bill on Combating Violence against Women and Families.

Special Representative Hennis-Plasschaert expressed her support for Parliament’s legislative work and said that she is ready to help bring the parties closer together to reach an agreement.