ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Initial tallies from early election results in the Kurdistan Region show the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leading in at least two of the Region’s provinces, while its rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), maintains a commanding lead in its Sulaimani stronghold, according to Rudaw projections compiled Sunday.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s electoral commission reported that nationwide voter turnout surpassed 80 percent.
According to Rudaw’s projections, the KDP secured a strong lead in Erbil, winning 46 percent of the votes. The PUK followed with 17.7 percent, while the opposition National Stance Movement (Halwest) received 3.2 percent, and the New Generation Movement (NGM) obtained 1.8 percent.
With 96.6% of ballots tallied in the Kurdistan Region’s Erbil province, Rudaw projects the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the lead with 46%, followed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) at 17.7% and the National Stance Movement (Halwest) at 3.2%. #IraqVotes2025 pic.twitter.com/CRnsloMKRf
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In the eastern province of Sulaimani, the results shifted dramatically, with the PUK dominating the vote at 71 percent. The KDP trailed with 10 percent, followed by Halwest at 8 percent, NGM at 3 percent, and the Kurdistan Islamic Union (KIU) at 2.6 percent.