KRG elections: KDP wins but Gorran becomes the second force

21 Sep 2013 – Kurdistan Tribune –  The political map of south Kurdistan has been re-drawn today – according to preliminary results of the polls for a new parliament – with Gorran set to become the second largest party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) facing a huge setback.

According to early results, the opposition Gorran movement won decisively in the Suli area, while the PUK looks set to be pushed into a humiliating third or fourth place in most towns and cities. In Erbil, Gorran is reported to have come second, with 20.7% of the vote – a huge advance for the party in what was once seen as ‘hostile territory’ – compared to the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party’s (KDP) 42%. The PUK, which looks set for third place in Erbil, is complaining of fraud by KDP officials who reportedly enabled people to vote after the 5pm deadline. The PUK claims that one of its members has died following fighting between PUK and KDP supporters outside a voting station which the KDP was trying to keep open late.

Big questions for the coming days include: How far will the PUK go in disputing the results?

Will the KDP accept that Gorran is now the second force in south Kurdistan’s politics?