On Monday, September 21, several diplomatic missions commended the successful conduct of the parliamentary elections that took place on October 20 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and called for the speedy formation of the new government.

“They have been overdue for more than two years, which is why the EU had strongly advocated for them to take place. Elections are key for citizens to express their political will,” the EU Delegation to Iraq said in a statement. 

“The EU values its very good relations with KRI. The new Parliament will take up its work very soon. We call on all political actors to form a new Kurdistan Region Government (KRG) in the interest of unity and stability of KRI and Iraq as a whole.”

France’s Embassy in Iraq also welcomed the holding of legislative elections in the Kurdistan Region on October 20, and added they were “pleased with the strong turnout of voters.”

“This vote represents an important political milestone for the Kurdistan Region and Iraq as a whole,” Patrick Durel, France’s Ambassador to Iraq, posted on X.

Japan’s Ambassador to Iraq Futoshi Matsumoto also congratulated the region on the successful conduct of its sixth parliamentary elections in a post on X. 

“I hope that the results of this election will contribute to strengthening democracy in the region and the smooth formation of a new KRG, leading to further stability and economic development in the Kurdistan Region and beyond.”

Jordan’s Consul General to the Kurdistan Region Fuad al-Majali, in a post on X, commended “the leadership and people of the brotherly KRI on conducting the electoral process, wishing the beloved region continued stability, prosperity, and progress.”

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Alina Romanowski in a statement congratulated the people of the Kurdistan Region, and called on Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to solve challenges related to fingerprint verification, as many voters were not able to vote due to machines not registering their fingerprints.

“We urge political parties and civil society to support a peaceful transition and form a government without delay. We also call on all political parties and security forces to respect the media and civil society’s vital role in the democratic process. The seating of a new government will allow the KRG to strengthen its democratic institutions, advance human rights, promote economic development, and enhance the Kurdistan Region’s resiliency as part of a secure, stable, and sovereign Iraq.”

The Netherlands Consulate General in Erbil in a post on X also congratulated “all the people in the Kurdistan Region on the peaceful elections in a positive atmosphere!”

“The high turnout is a sign of a vibrant democracy, which we also observed at several polling stations in the region. We look forward to a swift and successful government formation process!”

According to preliminary results from the IHEC, the Kurdistan Democratic Party secured the highest number of votes in the Kurdistan Region, with 809,199 votes. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan came in second with 408,141 votes, followed by the New Generation Party with 290,991 votes.

Earlier on Sunday, KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani  commended the success of the sixth parliamentary election process in the Kurdistan Region, and expressed hope a new government would be formed soon.

Read More: Prime Minister Barzani Celebrates Kurdistan Region Election Success

“With God’s help, and the support of our loyal citizens, I hope that the existence of a new, active Parliament backed by patriots paves the way for the KRG’s 10th Cabinet as soon as possible to better serve the stability, prosperity, and unity of the Kurdistan Region.”