IHEC Commences Verification of Candidate Lists for Iraqi Parliamentary Elections

Iraq 12:10 PM - 2025-06-27

IHEC Spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai.

The Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) of Iraq announced on Friday, 27 June 2025, that it has begun the process of verifying candidate lists for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

In a statement to Iraq's state media (INA), IHEC spokesperson Jumana al-Ghalai confirmed that the stage for submitting candidate lists for the parliamentary elections has concluded, stating that, “The Commission has now initiated the verification process, which will require time due to the high number of candidates from all Iraqi governorates.”

Ghalai emphasised that the verification process is essential to ensure the accuracy of submitted data before it is referred to the relevant authorities for confirmation of each candidate’s eligibility.

She also noted that the period for updating voter information has officially ended, having closed on 20 June 2025, following its commencement on 25 March 2025.

PUK has Submitted Its Candidate Lists 

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) has submitted the names of its candidates for the upcoming Iraqi parliamentary elections to the Independent High Electoral Commission. Around 200 candidates will be contesting in the governorates of Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, Kirkuk, Diyala, Nineveh, Saladin, and Baghdad.

According to information gathered by PUKMEDIA, the PUK’s Elections Bureau submitted the full list of its candidates on Thursday, 26 June 2025, ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled to take place on 11 November 2025. The party is fielding candidates in eight governorates across Iraq.

The PUK has put forward 30 candidates in Erbil, 36 in Sulaymaniyah, 10 in Duhok, 24 in Kirkuk, 28 in Diyala, 62 in Nineveh, and one candidate each in Saladin and Baghdad.

PUKMEDIA also knew that the Head of the PUK list in Erbil Governorate is Harem Kamal Agha. In Sulaymaniyah, it is Dr Rekawt Hama Rashid; in Duhok, Iman Abdul Razzaq Amedi; in Kirkuk, Rebwar Taha; and in Diyala, Amal Shkur.

The deadline for submitting candidate lists to the IHEC concluded today, Thursday, 26 June 2025, with the Board of Commissioners confirming that the deadline would not be extended further.

The IHEC had previously announced it would accept both open and individual candidate lists for the 2025 Iraqi parliamentary elections from 25 May 2025 until the close of business on 24 June 2025. However, the Board later opted to extend the submission period until today. Earlier, on 9 April 2025, the Federal Council of Ministers, in a session chaired by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, formally approved 11 November 2025 as the date for the sixth term of parliamentary elections in Iraq.



PUKMEDIA