Dominant Kurdish parties in Iraq maintain their sway in regional parliament elections

Final results from this month’s vote for the regional parliament in Iraq’s semi-autonomous northern Kurdish region show the two dominant Kurdish parties maintaining their hold while an opposition party made inroads. The results were announced by election officials on Wednesday in the city of Irbil. The surge in support for the relatively new opposition party New Generation appears to stem from growing disillusionment among younger voters, who are increasingly frustrated with the Kurdish region’s ongoing economic challenges, including delays in payments of monthly salaries, high unemployment and perceived corruption within the traditional political leadership.