2025 Iraqi Parliamentary Elections

The 2025 Iraqi Parliamentary Elections were held nationwide on 11 November 2025 to elect new members to the 329-seat Council of Representatives. The elections constitute the sixth parliamentary election under the new political system established after the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. A total of 7,744 candidates competed for the 329 parliamentary seats. According to the final results published after the elections, the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, led by Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani, secured 46 seats and came in first place.

Results of the 2025 Iraqi Parliamentary Elections, 13 November 2025 – (Anadolu Agency)

Election System

The Iraqi Council of Representatives consists of 329 seats. A total of 7,744 candidates competed for these seats. A gender quota is applied in the Council, with at least 25 percent of seats reserved for women. This translates to a minimum of 83 female members of parliament. Additionally, 9 seats are allocated to religious minorities.

Under the political structure established in Iraq after 2003, executive and high state offices are distributed according to ethnic and sectarian composition. In this framework, the prime ministership is allocated to Shia Arabs, the parliamentary speakership to Sunni Arabs, and the presidency to Kurds. This arrangement provides a decisive framework for government formation following the elections.

The elections were conducted in 18 of Iraq’s 19 governorates. The newly established Halabja Governorate was included in the electoral process alongside Sulaymaniyah.

The number of seats allocated to electoral districts under the Kurdistan Regional Government is as follows:

• Erbil: 15 seats
• Sulaymaniyah: 18 seats
• Duhok: 11 seats
• Total: 46 seats

The distribution of candidates in the regional constituencies is as follows:

• Erbil: 9 parties, 6 independent lists, totaling 108 candidates
• Sulaymaniyah–Halabja: 9 parties, 4 independent lists, totaling 136 candidates
• Duhok: 59 candidates

Pre-Election Process and Campaign Period

Before the elections, Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr called on his supporters to boycott the vote. It was noted that while the number of young candidates increased, their advantages were limited in the face of entrenched patronage networks.

Campaign activities in Kirkuk were conducted intensively. Turkmen, Kurdish, and Arab candidates intensified their electoral efforts, with numerous posters and campaign materials displayed across the city. It was reported that Turkmen candidates participated under the list “United Iraqi Turkmen Front.” Candidate Dr. Aybeniz Beyatli explained her decision to run for office as follows: “I decided to enter politics after taking a break from medicine to seek solutions to our accumulated problems.”

Cevdet Zülal, Head of the Election Office of the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF), confirmed that Turkmen in Kirkuk participated in the elections under the “United Iraqi Turkmen Front” list. Zülal stated, “We filed a case with the court regarding approximately 260,000 voters brought to Kirkuk years ago and won the case, but the ruling has still not been implemented.”

Before the elections, attacks occurred against campaign posters of the Iraqi Turkmen Front in Kirkuk. In a statement on 10 November 2025, Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said, “We have urged the relevant parties to act with common sense.” The same statement emphasized that Kirkuk “constitutes a small model of Iraq” and that maintaining stability during the election period was of critical importance.

Iraqi citizens voting at polling stations, 11 November 2025 – (Anadolu Agency)

Special Voting (9 November 2025)

Special voting was conducted two days before the general elections. Under this process, members of security forces and internally displaced voters cast their ballots. Nationwide, a total of 1,313,980 security personnel and 26,538 internally displaced voters were eligible to vote under the special voting arrangement.

According to the statements, the participation rate in the special voting reached 82%. More than 1,100,000 security personnel cast their votes in the special voting. A total of 20,527 displaced voters exercised their right to vote, with a participation rate of 77% recorded for this group.

Special voting in the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government was conducted in Erbil, Duhok, Sulaymaniyah and Halabja. The number of voters expected to vote in these electoral districts was announced as 224,333. The voting process was completed at 18.00.

In Kirkuk, 29 voting centers were established to facilitate the participation of security forces in the special voting. A total of 56,237 security personnel were eligible to vote, with a participation rate exceeding 60%.

Special voting for personnel working in security units and displaced voters in Iraq, 9 November 2025 – (Anadolu Agency)

General Voting Day (11 November 2025)

General voting took place nationwide on 11 November. Voting commenced at 07.00 local time and concluded at 18.00. No technical or administrative irregularities were reported during the electoral process. Voting was conducted at ballot boxes established across the country’s 18 provinces. Halabja was assessed together with Sulaymaniyah for electoral purposes.

The number of registered voters eligible to vote in the country was reported as 21,404,291. A total of 7,744 candidates competed for the 329 seats in the parliament. It was announced that results would be published 24 hours after the closing of all ballot boxes.

Voting proceeded smoothly across different regions during the day. In Kirkuk, general voting began at 07.00 local time, and it was indicated that 13 members of parliament would be elected, including one seat reserved for the Christian quota. In this province, 252 candidates competed, comprising five coalitions, nine political parties and seven independent candidates.

The President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government cast his vote in Erbil. In statements directed at the Turkmen community, he emphasized the necessity for voters to go to the polls to strengthen their representation. Attention was drawn to security measures taken following incidents targeting election posters in Kirkuk, and all relevant parties were urged to act calmly.

Mehmet Seman Ağa, Chairman of the Turkmen Front, after casting his vote in Kirkuk, called on Turkmen voters to “vote for their right to representation in parliament.” Ağa stated, “Even a single vote is important; no one should underestimate any vote.”

Citizens at polling stations in Iraq, 11 November 2025 – (Anadolu Agency)

Announcement of Results (12 November 2025)

A total of 10,898,327 voters participated in the general election. In the special voting, 1,084,289 individuals cast their ballots, and 20,527 displaced voters voted. The total number of voters who participated was 12,003,143. The Independent High Electoral Commission announced the final turnout rate as 56.11%.

According to the final seat results announced by the Commission:

• Imara and Development Coalition (Sudani): 46 seats
• Takaddum / Progress Party (Halbusi): 36 seats
• Law State Coalition (Maliki): 29 seats
• KDP: 26 seats

Prime Minister Sudani, in his statement regarding the election results, said: “Our coalition is first in ‘Construction and Development’ because we believe in the principle of ‘Iraq First.’” The Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shia political groups, announced that following the election results it had declared itself the largest bloc in parliament and established two committees to nominate a new prime minister.

Prime Minister of Iraq Sudani at an election rally in Baghdad, 7 November 2025 – (Anadolu Agency)

Results by Province

Baghdad

1. Construction and Development
2. Takaddum
3. Law State
4. National State Forces
5. Sadiqun

Mosul (Ninawa)

1. KDP
2. Takaddum
3. Sudani’s coalition

Erbil

1. KDP
2. KYB
3. Duruş Movement
4. New Generation Movement

Basra

1. Tasmim
2. Sadiqun
3. Sudani’s coalition
4. Law State

Anbar

1. Takaddum

Sulaymaniya

1. KYB
2. Duruş Movement
3. New Generation

Dohuk

1. KDP
2. Islamic Unity Party (Yekgirtu)
3. Duruş Movement

Salahaddin

1. Takaddum
2. Sudani’s coalition
3. Azim Coalition

Najaf

1. Sudani’s coalition

Karbala

1. Sudani’s coalition

Wasit

• Sudani’s coalition is in third place.

Muthanna

1. Sudani’s coalition
2. Law State

Maysan

1. Sudani’s coalition

Zakho

1. Sudani’s coalition

Babil

1. Sudani’s coalition

Kadisiyah

1. Sudani’s coalition

Kirkuk

1. KYB
2. Takaddum
3. United Iraqi Turkmen Front
4. KDP
5. Arab Alliance
6. Irak Azim Coalition

Diyala

1. Badir Movement
2. Takaddum
3. Siyade Coalition